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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — a signal
  3. firm — a company
  4. spell — letters
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spell — a short time
  8. firm — steady
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ground — the earth
  11. squash — the sport
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — a face
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mug — a cup
  18. firm — decided
  19. ground — a position
  20. spell — magic
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stand — for spectators

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