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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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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 · branch · calf · stick · ruler · cap · board · capital

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cap — a hat
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. prune — to trim
  10. branch — a division
  11. capital — money
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. board — a committee
  15. cap — a lid
  16. prune — to trim
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. capital — a city
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — to get on
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — of ice
  24. branch — of a bank

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