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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 · cue · press · toast · wake · firm · pitch · ruler

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. firm — decided
  7. wake — a trail
  8. firm — a company
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. press — to push
  11. toast — bread
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. press — a publisher
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cue — for pool
  21. firm — steady
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. press — newspapers
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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