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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. board — to get on
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cue — a signal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. shower — rain
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. shower — to wash
  16. board — a committee
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. track — a song
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. snap — to click
  24. track — a path

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