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

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. prune — to trim
  3. craft — boats
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. spell — letters
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. craft — a skill
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. club — for dancing
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. spell — magic
  20. sharp — clever
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. craft — a handicraft

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