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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 120 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: pop · mouse · prune · cabinet · wave · bay · snap · root

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. root — of a word
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pop — soda
  24. mouse — the animal

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