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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 · prune · mate · craft · vault · trunk · jam · lean

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mate — to breed
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. craft — boats
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mate — a partner
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. craft — a skill
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rock — a stone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — thin
  23. rock — music
  24. jam — in traffic

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