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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. firm — a company
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. firm — decided
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. tube — a container
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. firm — steady
  13. bank — for money
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. roll — a list
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. roll — a cake
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bank — of a river
  24. hide — to keep secret

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