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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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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: last · snap · kid · pop · mine · prune · mark · ruler

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mark — a trace
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — music
  7. last — final
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — soda
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mark — a grade
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pop — to visit
  16. last — finally
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mine — for digging
  20. kid — child
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. snap — to click
  24. mark — to pay attention

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