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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: calf · nail · content · prune · scale · staff · squash · trunk

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. prune — to trim
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. squash — the sport
  17. scale — size or range
  18. staff — employees
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. squash — to crush
  21. scale — in music
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. staff — a stick
  24. trunk — of a car

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