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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.

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: scale · rest · trunk · ground · pass · safe · prune · suit

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ground — a position
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — crushed
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. prune — to trim
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rest — a break
  22. scale — in music
  23. ground — the earth
  24. safe — out of danger

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