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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: capital · leaves · current · suit · calf · arm · prune · stock

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. capital — a city
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. current — happening now
  12. suit — in cards
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. current — electric
  21. capital — money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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