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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: wound · pass · prune · bulb · suit · stick · current · trunk

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wound — an injury
  4. current — of water
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wound — an injury
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — electric
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pass — a permit
  22. current — happening now
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pass — to spend time

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