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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fall — to drop
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. fall — the season
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. roll — a cake
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fine — all right
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. roll — a list

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