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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 120 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: fine · prune · arm · pitch · ruler · straw · tube · can

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — high quality
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — completely
  13. tube — a container
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. can — a tin
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fine — all right
  23. tube — the underground
  24. can — to be able to

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