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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 · tube · charge · wind · prune · wave · stem · nail

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. charge — a price
  5. tube — the underground
  6. snap — to click
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. tube — a container
  12. wind — moving air
  13. prune — to trim
  14. charge — in control
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stem — to come from
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wave — with your hand

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