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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 · mouse · straw · present · bay · pound · bowl · calf

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. present — a gift
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. prune — to trim
  10. present — the time now
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. present — there
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pound — to hit hard

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