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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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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: stick · prune · capital · cue · club · bowl · roll · mug

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. capital — money
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. prune — to trim
  7. roll — a cake
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. roll — a list
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mug — a cup
  20. capital — a city
  21. mug — a face
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bowl — a dish

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