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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. roll — a cake
  5. fine — all right
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. roll — a list
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fine — high quality
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fine — a penalty

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