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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.

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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: fine · prune · lie · date · roll · calf · race · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. can — a tin
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. race — humankind
  13. can — a tin
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. race — the arms race
  16. roll — a list
  17. fine — high quality
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — to be able to
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. race — a contest
  22. date — the fruit
  23. prune — to trim
  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