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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. chair — a leader
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — a container
  13. foot — a measure
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. perch — the fish
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — a permit
  24. chair — to sit on

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