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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.

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: cabinet · stem · deal · calf · content · squash · nail · prune

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. content — the amount
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. prune — to trim
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. squash — the sport
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. content — happy
  24. calf — of the leg

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