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

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. lean — thin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cap — of ice
  8. swing — music
  9. roll — a list
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bank — for money
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bank — of a river
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bank — for money
  17. lean — to bend
  18. cap — a hat
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cue — a signal
  22. swing — to play on
  23. cue — a hint
  24. swing — in golf

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