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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. key — in music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. craft — boats
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. prune — to trim
  10. craft — a skill
  11. key — the most important part
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. object — to protest
  14. key — for a lock
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. object — an aim
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stem — to come from
  23. object — a thing
  24. stem — of a plant

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