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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · prune · calf · pitcher · wax · temple · plane · cue

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wax — to grow
  6. prune — to trim
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cue — a signal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cue — for pool

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