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

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cue — for pool
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. track — a song
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bass — low music
  9. snap — to click
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. track — a path
  12. pound — a weight
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cue — a signal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bass — the fish
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cue — a hint
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pound — to hit hard

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