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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: shower · mouse · ruler · suit · stand · prune · trunk · chest

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chest — a box
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. shower — to wash
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chest — of your body
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chest — of your body
  18. suit — to fit
  19. shower — rain
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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