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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bay · prune · scale · trunk · patient · fan · stick · cap

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cap — a hat
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. scale — size or range
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. scale — in music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bay — a horse colour

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