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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 · cue · prune · drill · racket · pass · lash · can

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. drill — army training
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cue — a signal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pass — a permit
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. drill — a practice
  14. can — to be able to
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. cue — for pool
  21. can — a tin
  22. snap — to click
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lash — an eyelash

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