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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: trunk · tear · spell · firm · present · cell · date · suit

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. cell — a phone
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. tear — to rip
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. spell — a short time
  8. present — the time now
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. firm — steady
  13. spell — magic
  14. present — a gift
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. firm — a company
  17. tear — from crying
  18. date — the fruit
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. cell — in biology
  21. present — there
  22. tear — from crying
  23. suit — to fit
  24. firm — decided

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