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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: ruler · cue · drill · content · cabinet · can · prune · chest

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. chest — a box
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. content — happy
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. chest — of your body
  13. content — the amount
  14. prune — to trim
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. drill — army training
  17. cue — a signal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cue — for pool
  21. can — a tin
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chest — of your body

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