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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 · row · hide · prune · bulb · pop · current · temple

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pop — to visit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. row — to paddle
  8. current — of water
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. current — electric
  13. row — a line
  14. current — happening now
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pop — soda

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