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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 · key · squash · suit · fan · calf · march · saw

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. key — in music
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. key — the most important part
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. saw — the tool
  9. march — the month
  10. squash — the sport
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. squash — to crush
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. march — the month
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — the tool
  19. key — for a lock
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. suit — to fit
  22. march — music
  23. suit — clothes
  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