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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. root — the cause
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. root — of a word
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. root — of a plant
  24. prune — the fruit

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