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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cap — a hat
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bank — for money
  11. charge — electricity
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. cue — a signal
  15. charge — a price
  16. saw — the tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. charge — in control
  19. cap — a lid
  20. squash — the sport
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — for money
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ball — a dance

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