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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: cue · prune · dip · face · track · chair · fine · pop

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. track — a song
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. face — to confront
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. face — part of the head
  12. dip — to sink
  13. cue — a signal
  14. pop — music
  15. chair — a leader
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. track — a path
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. track — to keep track

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