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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: suit · rest · prune · bank · ball · cue · press · cap

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — a lid
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — to push
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — what's left
  13. suit — to fit
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. press — newspapers
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rest — a break
  19. bank — for money
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cue — a signal
  24. suit — clothes

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