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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: prune · racket · cue · content · can · bank · chip · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. cue — for pool
  4. chip — to eat
  5. can — a tin
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. chip — for betting
  15. cue — a signal
  16. can — a tin
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — of a river
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cue — a hint
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mark — a trace

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