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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitch · file · squash · prune · cue · bass · bowl · rash

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cue — a hint
  6. file — a line of people
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rash — hasty
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rash — a series
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. squash — the sport
  24. cue — for pool

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