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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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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: cap · stand · prune · ruler · mate · bay · trunk · firm

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mate — to breed
  4. firm — a company
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cap — a hat
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cap — a lid
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stand — to bear

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