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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 120 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: dip · squash · fan · board · prune · pound · wave · cue

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. prune — to trim
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. board — a committee
  10. cue — a signal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wave — of the sea

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