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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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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: pound · stick · prune · stand · object · cell · lie · ruler

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — to protest
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — a phone
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lie — to recline
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — a thing
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. object — an aim
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. stand — to bear
  24. lie — an untruth

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