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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: bass · trunk · dip · snap · jam · last · prune · lie

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bass — low music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to click
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. dip — to sink
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — final
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. prune — to trim
  23. last — finally
  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