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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · swing · mouse · cue · stand · jam · rash · land

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cue — for pool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. swing — music
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rash — a series
  12. stand — to bear
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. land — a country
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cue — a signal
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. prune — the fruit

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