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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pass — a permit
  5. club — a group
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. dip — to sink
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. club — for golf
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. dip — a sauce

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