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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · fan · rush · cap · racket · prune · cue · straw

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cap — a lid
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. tube — a container
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cue — a signal
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. cap — a hat
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. cue — a hint

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