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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · prune · rock · cue · squash · bore · clip · ruler

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cue — for pool
  10. clip — to cut
  11. tear — from crying
  12. prune — to trim
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. tear — to rip
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bore — to drill
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bore — to tire
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rock — music
  24. clip — a video

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com