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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · firm · calf · prune · deal · bulb

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. firm — a company
  9. bulb — for light
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. deal — to handle
  14. firm — decided
  15. prune — to trim
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. prune — to trim

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