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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: calf · foot · suit · ground · net · pit · prune · bay

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pit — a hole
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — a measure
  14. net — after costs
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ground — the earth
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. ground — a position
  21. suit — clothes
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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