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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: pop · saw · can · prune · perch · trunk · stick · capital

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pop — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. saw — the tool
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pop — soda
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. can — a tin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — to visit
  16. can — to be able to
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a city
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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