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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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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: perch · ruler · wave · rest · ground · scale · prune · fine

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. scale — in music
  10. perch — the fish
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rest — a break
  15. fine — all right
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fine — high quality
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. ground — crushed
  24. prune — to trim

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