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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: calf · toast · sharp · hide · prune · date · saw · current

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. current — electric
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. saw — the tool
  11. toast — bread
  12. current — happening now
  13. sharp — clever
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. current — of water
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. prune — to trim
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. saw — the tool

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