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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: mug · lash · fine · snap · prune · plane · stem · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. mug — to rob
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mug — a face
  6. plane — a tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fine — high quality
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. fine — all right
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. prune — to trim
  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