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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 124 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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Word bank
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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: fan · fork · prune · row · deal · chip · ruler · rush

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. row — a line
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. prune — to trim
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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