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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bound — certain
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. current — electric
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fall — the season
  11. craft — boats
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bound — obliged
  20. prune — to trim
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. current — of water
  23. stem — to come from
  24. current — happening now

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