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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. clip — for paper
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. clip — a video
  6. pit — in a race
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cue — a signal
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pop — soda
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pop — to visit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. key — for a lock
  17. prune — to trim
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pop — music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. saw — the tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. prune — the fruit

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