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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. current — of water
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. current — happening now
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. prune — to trim
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. deal — to handle
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. current — electric

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