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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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. present — a gift
  3. key — the most important part
  4. firm — steady
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bound — tied together
  7. present — there
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — the fish
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. key — for a lock
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. firm — a company
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. dip — to sink
  20. firm — decided
  21. present — the time now
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. key — in music
  24. perch — for a bird

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