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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: present · ground · prune · rush · stick · wax · snap · foot

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. foot — a measure
  5. ground — the earth
  6. present — the time now
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — a position
  19. present — there
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ground — crushed
  24. present — a gift

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