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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 120 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. land — ground
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. foot — a measure
  7. land — to come down
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cap — a hat
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pass — a permit
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stock — shares
  19. land — a country
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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