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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · land · rock · prune · snap · mug · mark · bark

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. land — a country
  3. land — ground
  4. rock — music
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bark — to shout
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rash — a series
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. snap — to click
  18. mug — a face
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. land — to come down
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. rash — hasty
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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