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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: squash · prune · mark · snap · firm · nail · cap · bulb

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bulb — for light
  6. firm — decided
  7. mark — a trace
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bulb — for light
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — a company
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cap — a lid
  18. squash — to crush
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. firm — steady
  22. snap — to click
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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