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

Word bank: prune · trunk · swing · fork · calf · deal · game · wave

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. deal — to handle
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. game — a match
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fork — in a road
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. swing — in golf
  20. prune — to trim
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — wild animals

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