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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: key · tube · cue · prune · fork · ground · can · suit

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fork — in a road
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ground — the earth
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. tube — the underground
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. can — a tin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — a container
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ground — crushed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fork — to eat with

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