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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 116 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
468
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: key · snap · cue · ground · prune · tube · rash · pass

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rash — hasty
  3. key — for a lock
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rash — a series
  6. tube — a container
  7. cue — for pool
  8. tube — the underground
  9. key — the most important part
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. ground — the earth
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to click
  16. ground — crushed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — in music
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ground — a position
  24. prune — the fruit

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