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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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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. present — the time now
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — a grade
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. present — there
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — the sport
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. snap — to click
  21. ball — a dance
  22. squash — to crush
  23. present — a gift
  24. prune — to trim

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