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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: roll · calf · field · prune · swing · board · stem · pass

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. field — for sport
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. prune — to trim
  6. roll — a list
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. swing — in golf
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. field — a subject
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. swing — to play on
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. board — to get on
  22. field — farmland
  23. pass — a permit
  24. 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