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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
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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 · fork · cue · bound · hand · arm · mark · suit

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cue — for pool
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — a grade
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. hand — in cards
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bound — certain
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — a signal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fork — in a road
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cue — a hint

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