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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. track — a path
  9. club — for dancing
  10. object — to protest
  11. track — to keep track
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. object — a thing
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. wake — a trail
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. track — a song
  22. object — an aim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ruler — for measuring

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