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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: court · chip · rock · prune · wax · lie · calf · object

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — to protest
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. rock — music
  12. court — of a king
  13. wax — to grow
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. object — a thing
  18. court — of law
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rock — a stone
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lie — to recline
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. court — for sport

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