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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 120 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: last · tube · bulb · wax · prune · net · stick · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. net — in sport
  4. prune — to trim
  5. net — for catching
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. net — after costs
  8. last — finally
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. tube — a container
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. last — to go on
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. prune — to trim
  22. last — final
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bulb — for light

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