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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. date — the fruit
  3. court — of law
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. court — of a king
  6. prune — to trim
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. court — for sport
  11. cap — of ice
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. key — in music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cap — a hat
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. key — for a lock
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. key — the most important part
  22. cap — a lid
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cabinet — ministers

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