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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: cue · ground · stock · dip · ruler · present · bulb · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. cue — for pool
  4. ground — crushed
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stock — shares
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. present — the time now
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ground — a position
  20. present — a gift
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. present — there
  23. prune — to trim
  24. dip — to sink

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