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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. branch — a division
  4. stand — to bear
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. drill — a practice
  15. lie — to recline
  16. drill — army training
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stand — on your feet

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