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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. perch — the fish
  5. track — to keep track
  6. prune — to trim
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — a song
  10. present — the time now
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. prune — to trim
  13. degree — temperature
  14. present — a gift
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. track — a path
  17. can — a tin
  18. degree — an amount
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. degree — from a university
  23. can — to be able to
  24. present — there

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