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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: firm · bay · prune · stand · stem · trunk · bark · pitcher

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — a company
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stand — to bear
  20. firm — decided
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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