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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: wound · foot · firm · cue · lie · rock · pitch · prune

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — decided
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. cue — a hint
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. firm — a company
  12. wound — an injury
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — a stone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cue — for pool
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rock — music
  21. cue — a signal
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. foot — part of the body

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