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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.

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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: can · calf · face · firm · pitcher · race · pop · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. can — a tin
  3. face — to confront
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. face — to point toward
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. face — part of the head
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. race — humankind
  12. firm — a company
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. can — to be able to
  16. firm — steady
  17. can — a tin
  18. race — the arms race
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. race — a contest
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pop — to visit

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