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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. club — for golf
  5. craft — a skill
  6. club — for dancing
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. craft — boats
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. club — a group
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stand — to bear
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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