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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 116 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: file · calf · mark · prune · trunk · row · suit · swing

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. file — a document
  4. row — a line
  5. swing — to play on
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. row — to paddle
  8. prune — to trim
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. swing — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mark — a trace
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. swing — in golf
  19. file — a tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. row — a quarrel

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