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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: field · hide · prune · kick · calf · court · track · rock

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. court — of a king
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. court — of law
  6. prune — to trim
  7. field — farmland
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rock — music
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rock — a stone
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. track — a song
  15. court — for sport
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. field — a subject
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. field — for sport
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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