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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: prune · trunk · wound · suit · staff · capital · cell · tube

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. cell — a phone
  4. staff — employees
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — clothes
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. tube — a container
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. wound — an injury
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cell — in biology
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. tube — the underground
  17. staff — employees
  18. prune — to trim
  19. capital — money
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wound — an injury
  22. capital — a city
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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