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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: prune · bowl · plane · bank · degree · can · calf · mug

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. degree — from a university
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. prune — to trim
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. plane — a tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mug — a face
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bank — of a river
  15. mug — a cup
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. degree — an amount
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bank — for money
  22. degree — temperature
  23. can — a tin
  24. mug — to rob

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