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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: net · prune · trunk · staff · bass · pass · plane · track

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — after costs
  3. prune — to trim
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pass — a permit
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bass — the fish
  11. track — a path
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bass — low music
  17. track — to keep track
  18. staff — employees
  19. net — for catching
  20. staff — employees
  21. track — a song
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. plane — a tool

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