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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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Word bank
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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. squash — to crush
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — a tin
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rash — hasty
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rash — a series
  16. can — to be able to
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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