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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: snap · prune · kick · arm · board · mug · stem · fine

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. fine — high quality
  3. board — to get on
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mug — a face
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. board — a committee
  13. kick — in football
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fine — all right
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. snap — to click

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