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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 · roll · bat · key · wave · suit · file · prune

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bat — the animal
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. file — a document
  10. suit — to fit
  11. key — in music
  12. file — a line of people
  13. prune — to trim
  14. file — a tool
  15. key — the most important part
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. key — for a lock
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. suit — in cards

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