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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: bass · stick · prune · cue · pitch · can · key · firm

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — to be able to
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — the most important part
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. key — in music
  16. firm — a company
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cue — a signal
  22. firm — steady
  23. pitch — completely
  24. firm — decided

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