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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 116 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: bore · bass · rush · calf · prune · stick · fan · cue

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — hurry
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cue — for pool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bass — low music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bore — to drill

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