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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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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 · club · pop · nail · race · rock · prune · pound

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — soda
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cue — a signal
  14. club — for golf
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pound — a weight
  17. club — a group
  18. race — humankind
  19. pop — to visit
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pop — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. race — a contest
  24. race — the arms race

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