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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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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: bank · club · prune · arm · file · rock · mate · calf

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. file — a line of people
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — for dancing
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mate — a friend
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. prune — to trim
  12. file — a tool
  13. rock — a stone
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bank — for money
  16. club — for golf
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bank — of a river
  19. file — a document
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rock — music
  23. club — a group
  24. mate — to breed

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