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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.

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: prune · roll · pit · ruler · scale · present · can · calf

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. can — to be able to
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. can — a tin
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. scale — in music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pit — in a race
  13. roll — a list
  14. present — there
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — a hole
  17. roll — a cake
  18. scale — size or range
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — a young animal
  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