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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cue — for pool
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bass — low music
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fine — all right
  14. bass — the fish
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. fine — high quality

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