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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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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: trunk · prune · bay · bank · pitcher · mark · stick · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. firm — steady
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bank — for money
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bank — of a river
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bank — for money
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. mark — a trace

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