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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 · bowl · shower · prune · toast · mark · arm · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mark — a trace
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cue — for pool
  13. toast — bread
  14. prune — to trim
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cue — a signal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. shower — rain
  23. cue — a hint
  24. leaves — of a tree

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