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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.

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: deal · net · band · file · prune · ruler · suit · season

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. net — in sport
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. net — for catching
  9. deal — to handle
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. net — after costs
  13. season — of the year
  14. file — a document
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. file — a tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. suit — to fit
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. season — in sport
  23. file — a line of people
  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