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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. roll — a list
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bass — low music
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. bear — the animal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. roll — a cake
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. firm — a company
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mouse — the animal

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