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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: jam · squash · bulb · saw · prune · snap · calf · rule

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to click
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rule — a law
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bulb — for light
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — government

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