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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: fine · cap · spring · prune · bank · pop · cue · current

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cap — of ice
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bank — for money
  6. pop — soda
  7. current — happening now
  8. cue — a hint
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fine — high quality
  13. current — electric
  14. pop — music
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bank — for money
  21. current — of water
  22. fine — all right
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fine — a penalty

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