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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: stick · mouse · prune · stem · fall · band · pop · trunk

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. band — a music group
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pop — soda
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. band — a ring
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pop — music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. prune — to trim

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