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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
468
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: stick · field · nail · bore · prune · key · last · rule

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. last — to go on
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — final
  10. field — a subject
  11. rule — a law
  12. key — in music
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. last — finally
  16. bore — to drill
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — for a lock
  20. field — farmland
  21. rule — government
  22. key — the most important part
  23. field — for sport
  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