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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: lash · band · prune · jam · current · deal · can · snap

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. band — a ring
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. current — happening now
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. prune — to trim
  8. current — of water
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. can — to be able to
  12. snap — to click
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. prune — to trim
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. band — a music group
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. current — electric
  24. band — a rubber band

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