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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 · cold · lean · prune · calf · cap · deal · pass

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bank — for money
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bank — of a river
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lean — thin
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cold — an illness
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cold — not warm
  17. pass — a permit
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. cap — a lid
  21. prune — to trim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. calf — a young animal

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