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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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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: staff · current · leaves · prune · straw · nail · lean · trunk

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lean — thin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. staff — employees
  19. prune — to trim
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lean — to bend
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — employees

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