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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: rush · fine · mark · vault · ruler · prune · pound · nail

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mark — a trace
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — a thrill

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