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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bass — low music
  12. stock — goods
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cue — a signal
  18. snap — to click
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitcher — a jug

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