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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
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: trunk · can · prune · calf · mouse · object · cap · pass

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — a tin
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. can — a tin
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. object — to protest
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a lid
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. prune — to trim
  24. calf — of the leg

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