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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: straw · track · face · present · prune · snap · can · pop

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. track — a song
  5. present — there
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. pop — to visit
  8. face — part of the head
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — a path
  13. face — to point toward
  14. prune — to trim
  15. present — a gift
  16. snap — to click
  17. pop — music
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. face — to confront
  20. track — to keep track
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pop — soda

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