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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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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: prune · suit · bowl · calf · coach · kid · snap · firm

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. prune — to trim
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. firm — steady
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. snap — to click
  11. kid — child
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — a company
  19. suit — to fit
  20. kid — to tease
  21. firm — decided
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. prune — to trim
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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