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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. stand — to bear
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — to trim
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. band — a music group
  10. cue — a signal
  11. band — a ring
  12. suit — clothes
  13. prune — to trim
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. press — newspapers
  17. deal — to handle
  18. press — a publisher
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. suit — to fit
  23. press — to push
  24. deal — a big deal

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