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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
468
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: cap · mate · drill · tube · calf · mark · ball · prune

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. mark — a grade
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cap — a hat
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. drill — army training
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mate — a partner
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cap — a lid
  24. ball — a dance

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