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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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Word bank
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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: root · firm · bore · prune · squash · mug · mouse · snap

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. firm — decided
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. squash — to crush
  8. root — of a word
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. snap — to click
  12. squash — the sport
  13. root — of a plant
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mug — a cup
  16. firm — a company
  17. mug — a face
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. firm — steady
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. root — the cause
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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