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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wound — an injury
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. pop — soda
  8. prune — to trim
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pop — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. prune — to trim
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pop — to visit

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