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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. cue — a signal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. club — a group
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rest — what's left
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rest — a break
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bass — low music
  18. club — for golf
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. prune — to trim
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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