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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · bulb · saw · prune · snap · racket · mark · mate

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mug — a face
  4. mark — a grade
  5. saw — the tool
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bulb — for light
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. saw — the tool
  14. snap — to click
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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