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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: snap · lash · can · perch · prune · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. can — a tin
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — to trim
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lash — an eyelash

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