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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
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: prune · pop · calf · racket · hide · roll · lie · stand

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. roll — a cake
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. roll — a list
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — to bear
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — to trim
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — soda
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pop — music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stand — for spectators

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