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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: cabinet · pit · calf · foot · prune · squash · plane · wave

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. squash — to crush
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pit — a hole
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. plane — a tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. squash — the sport
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pit — in a race
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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