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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: prune · file · mate · mug · calf · object · ball · branch

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. mate — a friend
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. file — a document
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. mate — a partner
  12. object — to protest
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. object — an aim
  16. file — a tool
  17. object — a thing
  18. mate — to breed
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mug — to rob
  21. prune — to trim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a dance
  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