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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
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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: fan · lie · key · hand · prune · snap · bay · jam

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. hand — help
  6. key — in music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. snap — to click
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — to recline
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. key — the most important part

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