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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. ground — a position
  3. cue — for pool
  4. key — the most important part
  5. prune — to trim
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. ground — crushed
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cue — a signal
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. tube — a container
  14. key — in music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ground — the earth

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