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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 120 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
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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: craft · object · snap · lean · mug · cue · cabinet · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lean — thin
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. craft — boats
  11. cue — a hint
  12. prune — to trim
  13. snap — to click
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. mug — a face
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mug — to rob
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mug — a cup
  23. craft — a skill
  24. object — an aim

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