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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. pop — soda
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. pop — to visit
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pop — music
  9. mark — a grade
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mark — a trace
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. snap — to click
  23. suit — to fit
  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