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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. craft — a skill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. vault — a safe
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. lie — to recline
  8. content — the amount
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. present — the time now
  13. branch — a division
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. craft — boats
  20. content — happy
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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