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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 120 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: hide · pitcher · chip · bark · rule · lean · prune · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lean — thin
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rule — government
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rule — a law
  21. bark — to shout
  22. lean — to bend
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rule — to rule out

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