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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: chip · prune · lash · trunk · stick · net · last · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. last — finally
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. last — final
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — a tool
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. net — for catching
  15. last — to go on
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. chip — to eat
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — in geometry
  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