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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. prune — to trim
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. prune — to trim
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. ball — a dance
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — in football
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. calf — of the leg

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