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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 · can · suit · row · club · bore · fork · prune

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. prune — to trim
  3. club — for golf
  4. bore — to drill
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — to fit
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — in cards
  12. row — to paddle
  13. can — to be able to
  14. club — a group
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bore — to tire
  18. row — a line
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. fork — in a road
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. suit — clothes

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