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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: wave · snap · mug · arm · chip · prune · plane · suit

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. chip — for betting
  3. prune — to trim
  4. plane — a tool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. suit — to fit
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mug — a cup
  17. snap — to click
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mug — to rob
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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