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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: calf · racket · cabinet · kick · hand · prune · lean · bore

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. hand — help
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bore — to tire
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lean — to bend
  15. prune — to trim
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. hand — part of the body

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