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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: ruler · prune · bear · rule · mate · date · spring · foot

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spring — a coil
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. prune — to trim
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mate — a friend
  16. rule — government
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. spring — of water
  20. mate — a partner
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rule — a law
  23. date — the fruit
  24. spring — the season

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