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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: leaves · deal · prune · bear · nail · chair · calf · pitch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bear — the 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