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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 116 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: wave · prune · spring · mouse · calf · pop · lie · can

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. lie — to recline
  5. spring — the season
  6. prune — to trim
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — music
  10. spring — of water
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. spring — a coil
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pop — soda
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mouse — the 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