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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: nail · stand · prune · snap · cue · bank · club · fine

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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. club — for golf
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. cue — a hint
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bank — of a river
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. club — a group
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — all right
  16. snap — to click
  17. bank — for money
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. club — for dancing
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fine — high quality
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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