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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. game — a match
  3. firm — a company
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rock — music
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. firm — decided
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. firm — steady
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rock — a stone
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. game — wild animals
  21. tube — a container
  22. cue — a signal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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