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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: prune · suit · mine · bowl · ball · leaves · trunk · can

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mine — for digging
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. suit — in cards
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. suit — to fit
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. suit — clothes
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ball — a great time
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a dance

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