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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: prune · object · rule · squash · scale · band · calf · bear

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. scale — in music
  4. band — a ring
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. squash — to crush
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. band — a music group
  14. prune — to trim
  15. object — a thing
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. object — to protest
  18. prune — to trim
  19. object — an aim
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. squash — the sport
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. calf — a young animal

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