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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 116 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bank — for money
  5. spell — letters
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mug — to rob
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mug — a cup
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — for money
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mug — a face
  16. cue — a hint
  17. current — electric
  18. bank — of a river
  19. current — of water
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. prune — to trim
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. current — happening now

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