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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: rule · prune · lean · pitch · wax · content · present · roll

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. present — there
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. present — a gift
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. roll — a cake
  12. present — the time now
  13. lean — to bend
  14. content — the amount
  15. roll — a list
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rule — a law
  23. content — happy
  24. rule — to rule out

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