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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 116 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: snap · track · rest · row · firm · rock · clip · prune

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. prune — to trim
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rest — a break
  7. clip — for paper
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. firm — steady
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — a path
  16. clip — a video
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. snap — to click
  19. clip — to cut
  20. firm — a company
  21. rest — what's left
  22. track — a song
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. firm — decided

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