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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 120 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: net · board · mine · pound · prune · press · swing · cue

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. swing — in golf
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. prune — to trim
  6. swing — music
  7. mine — for digging
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. swing — to play on
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — a committee
  12. cue — a signal
  13. press — a publisher
  14. board — to get on
  15. cue — for pool
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. net — for catching
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pound — for dogs

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