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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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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: stick · band · deal · prune · spring · craft · calf · hide

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. craft — boats
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spring — the season
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. deal — to handle
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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