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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 116 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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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: squash · pass · pound · prune · tube · stem · mate · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pass — a permit
  6. squash — to crush
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. tube — a container
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mate — a partner
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mate — a friend
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. prune — to trim
  21. squash — the sport
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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