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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: tube · mug · prune · pit · perch · trunk · rest · jam

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. mug — a cup
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pit — a hole
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rest — a break
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. tube — the underground
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mug — a face
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. trunk — of a car

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