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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: prune · root · snap · cue · roll · vault · squash · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. root — of a plant
  13. snap — to click
  14. roll — a list
  15. cue — a hint
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cue — for pool
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cue — a signal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. vault — a safe
  24. squash — to crush

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