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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 116 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.

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: fine · ball · cue · swing · kick · prune · saw · spring

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kick — in football
  6. spring — of water
  7. swing — in golf
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fine — all right
  12. spring — a coil
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. spring — the season
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — a signal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fine — a penalty

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