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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: prune · snap · nail · fine · degree · rule · mug · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. snap — to click
  5. mug — to rob
  6. degree — an amount
  7. fine — high quality
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. mug — a face
  11. rule — a law
  12. bear — the animal
  13. degree — from a university
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fine — all right
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. prune — to trim
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. degree — temperature
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rule — government
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mug — a cup

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