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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · bay · prune · mug · toast · sharp · calf · lean

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mug — a cup
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. prune — to trim
  7. toast — bread
  8. band — a ring
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. sharp — clever
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mug — to rob
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mug — a face
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lean — thin
  24. toast — the most admired

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