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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.

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: prune · sharp · bank · fall · stock · racket · cue · dip

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. dip — to sink
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stock — goods
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bank — for money
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fall — to drop
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. prune — to trim
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fall — the season
  21. prune — to trim
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — a loud noise

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