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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · scale · craft · stand · prune · trunk · club · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. club — for dancing
  3. craft — a skill
  4. scale — size or range
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mark — a trace
  8. present — there
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. craft — boats
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. club — a group
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. prune — to trim
  16. club — for golf
  17. scale — in music
  18. mark — a grade
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stand — to bear
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mark — to pay attention

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