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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: game · racket · pass · calf · lie · rock · prune · wake

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. game — a match
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lie — to recline
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wake — a trail
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rock — music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pass — a permit
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. game — wild animals
  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