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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: cue · snap · root · prune · staff · pitcher · tube · rest

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cue — a signal
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. tube — the underground
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. root — the cause
  11. tube — a container
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — of a word
  15. cue — a hint
  16. staff — employees
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. snap — to click
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rest — a break

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