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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. degree — temperature
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. degree — from a university
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. degree — an amount
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. ground — crushed
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. trunk — of a car

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