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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · saw · staff · prune · ruler · object · trunk · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. staff — employees
  7. saw — the tool
  8. object — a thing
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — goods
  12. march — the month
  13. prune — to trim
  14. saw — the tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. object — an aim
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. object — to protest
  19. march — the month
  20. staff — employees
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stock — shares
  24. staff — a stick

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