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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. season — in sport
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. season — of the year
  16. stock — shares
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stock — goods
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. stock — a soup base

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