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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: bear · net · prune · ruler · trunk · present · bay · fan

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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 car
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. net — after costs
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. net — for catching
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. present — a gift
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. present — the time now
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. net — in sport
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. present — there
  23. prune — the fruit
  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