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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. prune — to trim
  4. last — to go on
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mark — a trace
  13. last — final
  14. suit — in cards
  15. snap — to click
  16. mug — a face
  17. suit — to fit
  18. dip — to sink
  19. last — finally
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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