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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hand — in cards
  6. track — to keep track
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — shares
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lean — thin
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. track — a path
  17. hand — help
  18. charge — in control
  19. lean — to bend
  20. charge — a price
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. track — a song
  23. stock — goods
  24. charge — electricity

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