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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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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: date · trunk · wax · suit · fine · mark · prune · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mark — a grade
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. suit — clothes
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. date — the fruit
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. prune — to trim
  14. suit — in cards
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. prune — to trim
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. fine — all right

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