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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: spell · leaves · tube · degree · prune · bear · trunk · current

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. current — happening now
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bear — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. current — of water
  14. spell — letters
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bear — the animal
  17. degree — from a university
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. degree — temperature
  20. spell — magic
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. current — electric

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