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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. scale — size or range
  6. prune — to trim
  7. scale — in music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. suit — clothes
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. can — a tin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. vault — a safe
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. suit — in cards
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. can — a tin
  21. lean — to bend
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. lean — thin

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