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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. track — a path
  3. bass — low music
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bass — the fish
  8. firm — decided
  9. track — a song
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. firm — a company
  12. chip — for betting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. firm — steady
  18. prune — to trim
  19. track — to keep track
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chip — to eat
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. lie — to recline
  24. leaves — lets stay

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