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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. firm — decided
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. kid — child
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pass — a permit
  14. snap — to click
  15. firm — a company
  16. prune — to trim
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. saw — the tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — to tease
  22. firm — steady
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pass — to spend time

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