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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. suit — to fit
  7. squash — the sport
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. degree — from a university
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. degree — temperature
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. snap — to click
  16. suit — in cards
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. degree — an amount
  22. squash — to crush
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. squash — the vegetable

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