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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: present · prune · swing · trunk · saw · suit · fall · can

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. suit — in cards
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. present — a gift
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. swing — to play on
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fall — the season
  18. present — there
  19. prune — to trim
  20. can — a tin
  21. present — the time now
  22. suit — clothes
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. swing — in golf

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