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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: suit · fan · prune · bowl · bulb · kid

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. kid — child
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kid — to tease

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