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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 120 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: prune · wake · bear · squash · saw · leaves · trunk · calf

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. bear — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wake — a trail
  6. prune — to trim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. squash — the sport
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of a car
  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