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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 · pitch · prune · mug · net · bore · bank · shower

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bank — for money
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mug — a face
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mug — a cup
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mug — to rob
  14. net — after costs
  15. shower — rain
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cue — a hint
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — to trim

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