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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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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: bowl · calf · squash · bay · jam · lie · trunk · prune

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. prune — to trim
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. prune — to trim
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. lie — to recline
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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