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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 120 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: pass · dip · prune · present · pop · calf · cabinet · arm

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. present — the time now
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pass — a permit
  9. present — a gift
  10. pop — music
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pop — soda
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. prune — to trim

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