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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: mug · deal · bear · prune · calf · temple · ruler · leaves

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. prune — to trim
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mug — a face
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. deal — to handle
  24. prune — the fruit

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