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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · sharp · toast · bass · fine · cue · prune · arm

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. suit — to fit
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fine — high quality
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. sharp — clever
  15. fine — all right
  16. bass — low music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. suit — in cards
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cue — for pool

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