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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: mine · perch · nail · craft · charge · firm · prune · snap

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — boats
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. charge — a price
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — in control
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. perch — the fish
  20. firm — a company
  21. snap — to click
  22. firm — steady
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — for a bird

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