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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: board · prune · trunk · rock · mate · object · pop · file

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. file — a document
  3. pop — soda
  4. mate — to breed
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. object — an aim
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pop — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mate — a partner
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. file — a tool
  13. rock — music
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rock — a stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a committee
  24. object — a thing

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