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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: nail · bore · prune · plane · toast · race · calf · rash

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. race — a contest
  4. rash — a series
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bore — to drill
  7. toast — bread
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. race — the arms race
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rash — hasty
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. race — humankind
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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