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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: calf · object · roll · prune · squash · mouse · wind · mark

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. object — an aim
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. object — a thing
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. prune — to trim
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wind — moving air
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  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