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

Word bank: prune · pop · cue · wax · fork · kick · fine · stick

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cue — for pool
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. fine — all right
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pop — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fine — high quality
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pop — soda
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cue — a hint
  24. prune — to trim

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