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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. squash — to crush
  9. track — to keep track
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — in a road
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wake — a trail
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. track — a path
  16. rest — a break
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. prune — to trim
  21. squash — the sport
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. track — a song

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