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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: last · lash · firm · tear · calf · prune · pound · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pound — a weight
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. last — to go on
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. last — final
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. last — finally
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. firm — a company
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tear — to rip
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. calf — a young animal

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