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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 120 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: arm · snap · pass · prune · squash · deal · lean · present

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lean — thin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pass — a permit
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. snap — to click
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. present — the time now
  23. squash — to crush
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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