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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: prune · foot · cue · march · fine · stock · mark · lash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. march — music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — goods
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. march — the month
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. march — the month
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. cue — for pool
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stock — shares
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fine — high quality

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