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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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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: snap · prune · mate · key · cabinet · object · ruler · trunk

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. object — an aim
  4. key — in music
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mate — to breed
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. object — to protest
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mate — a partner
  19. object — a thing
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. snap — to click
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mate — a friend
  24. key — the most important part

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