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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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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: club · leaves · stick · prune · trunk · suit · object · season

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. season — of the year
  3. object — a thing
  4. suit — to fit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. object — to protest
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. season — in sport
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. object — an aim
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. club — a group
  20. prune — to trim
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. club — for golf
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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