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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: prune · suit · calf · rest · ground · cue · last · date

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. date — the fruit
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. rest — a break
  10. last — final
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cue — for pool
  13. suit — clothes
  14. prune — to trim
  15. last — to go on
  16. cue — a signal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rest — what's left
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. suit — in cards
  22. last — finally
  23. rest — what's left
  24. prune — to trim

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