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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. craft — a skill
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bank — for money
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. band — a music group
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. band — a ring
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. bank — of a river
  17. prune — to trim
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. chip — for betting

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