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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: rock · leaves · prune · season · nail · craft · cabinet · trunk

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. season — in sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. prune — to trim
  24. craft — boats

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