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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · prune · bulb · court · pit · trunk · mug · ruler

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bulb — for light
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of a king
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. court — of law
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — a hole
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bulb — for light

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