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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · prune · lie · snap · plane · game · row · jam

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. row — to paddle
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. lie — to recline
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. plane — a tool
  12. game — a match
  13. row — a line
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. snap — to click
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. game — wild animals
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. prune — to trim
  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