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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: pound · prune · face · staff · rock · cue · stem · safe

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rock — a stone
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to point toward
  7. cue — a hint
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. stem — to come from
  19. face — to confront
  20. prune — to trim
  21. face — part of the head
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rock — music
  24. stem — of a plant

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