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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. hand — in cards
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. rule — government
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rule — a law
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. hand — help
  22. prune — to trim
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. perch — the fish

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