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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: rash · saw · prune · tear · current · trunk · can · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. prune — to trim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. can — a tin
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rash — a series
  8. current — of water
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. current — happening now
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. staff — employees
  13. tear — to rip
  14. can — a tin
  15. tear — from crying
  16. staff — employees
  17. can — to be able to
  18. current — electric
  19. tear — from crying
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rash — hasty
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. prune — to trim

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