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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: snap · mark · cue · prune · press · perch · wake · pop

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mark — a trace
  4. press — a publisher
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pop — soda
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. press — to push
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pop — music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. snap — to click
  22. mark — a grade
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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