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

Word bank: jam · mate · lean · prune · trunk · sharp · rule · date

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rule — a law
  3. lean — to bend
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mate — a partner
  8. sharp — clever
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rule — government
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. date — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mate — to breed
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mate — a friend
  24. sharp — exactly

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