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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: chip · mug · prune · bark · bear · snap · suit · stem

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stem — to come from
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — in cards
  10. snap — to click
  11. mug — a face
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. suit — to fit
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. suit — clothes
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bear — the animal

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