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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mate — a friend
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rush — hurry
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pass — a permit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mate — a partner
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mate — to breed
  24. prune — the fruit

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