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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 · pound · kick · jam · fine · mark · firm · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — a company
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mark — a grade
  15. firm — steady
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pound — a weight
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kick — in football
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to click
  24. firm — decided

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