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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · toast · racket · craft · press · prune · calf · band

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. press — a publisher
  3. craft — boats
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. press — to push
  9. prune — to trim
  10. toast — bread
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. press — newspapers
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. prune — to trim
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. craft — a skill
  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