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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: snap · cap · mug · prune · pop · lean · mark · firm

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mug — a face
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. pop — music
  9. mug — to rob
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pop — soda
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cap — a lid
  19. firm — a company
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cap — a hat

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