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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: prune · trunk · current · lean · march · ball · wind · bay

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wind — moving air
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ball — a great time
  10. current — of water
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. wind — moving air
  13. march — the month
  14. prune — to trim
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a dance
  18. current — electric
  19. lean — thin
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lean — to bend
  24. current — happening now

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