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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · lie · trunk · present · vault · mine · season · stand

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. season — of the year
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. present — a gift
  12. mine — for digging
  13. present — there
  14. prune — to trim
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lie — to recline
  19. vault — a safe
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. season — in sport
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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