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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bulb — for light
  8. content — the amount
  9. court — of law
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bass — low music
  12. content — happy
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stand — to bear
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bulb — for light
  18. court — for sport
  19. branch — a division
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. court — of a king
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bass — the instrument

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