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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: lean · prune · net · calf · bay · bore · bank · stick

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bore — to tire
  3. net — for catching
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. net — after costs
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. net — in sport
  19. bore — to drill
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lean — thin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lean — to bend

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