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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: calf · mine · suit · staff · prune · face · pop · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. staff — a stick
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. staff — employees
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — to fit
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. staff — employees
  17. mine — for digging
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pop — to visit
  20. board — a committee
  21. suit — in cards
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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