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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. tear — from crying
  4. prune — to trim
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. tear — from crying
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fine — all right
  9. tear — to rip
  10. can — a tin
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. rock — music
  13. hand — in cards
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. prune — to trim
  18. can — a tin
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — to be able to
  22. net — for catching
  23. rock — a stone
  24. hand — help

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