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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: prune · arm · face · stem · field · calf · club · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. prune — to trim
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. field — a subject
  9. face — to confront
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. field — for sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. prune — to trim
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. field — farmland
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. club — for dancing

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