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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cue — a hint
  11. key — in music
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. sharp — clever
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cue — for pool
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. prune — to trim
  24. sharp — exactly

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