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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. can — to be able to
  4. key — in music
  5. can — a tin
  6. spell — letters
  7. key — the most important part
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. march — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. march — the month
  12. prune — to trim
  13. present — a gift
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — the time now
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rock — music
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. march — the month

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