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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. prune — to trim
  3. band — a music group
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. cue — a hint
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. spell — magic
  9. bank — for money
  10. cue — a signal
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cue — for pool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — in control
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. band — a ring
  19. bank — of a river
  20. spell — letters
  21. charge — a price
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bank — for money
  24. spell — a short time

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