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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: nail · suit · snap · prune · saw · can · pitch · calf

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. prune — to trim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pitch — completely
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. prune — to trim
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. suit — in cards

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