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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · snap · lie · prune · root · mug · straw · nail

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. root — of a word
  3. mug — to rob
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. root — the cause
  10. rash — a series
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rash — hasty
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. lie — to recline
  15. snap — to click
  16. root — of a plant
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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