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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: bowl · object · cue · wave · trunk · hide · chair · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. prune — to trim
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. object — to protest
  12. cue — for pool
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. object — a thing
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cue — a signal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. object — an aim
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. prune — to trim

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