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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bore — to tire
  7. court — of a king
  8. rule — a law
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bore — to drill
  13. court — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. court — of law

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