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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: mark · calf · ruler · prune · pitch · bowl · date · rush

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. date — the fruit
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bowl — a football final

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