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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 116 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: calf · safe · key · prune · present · mark · mouse · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. present — there
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. present — the time now
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. key — for a lock
  22. present — a gift
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. safe — out of danger

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