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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: track · prune · stem · scale · pop · bank · bulb · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bank — for money
  7. track — a path
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pop — soda
  10. scale — in music
  11. track — a song
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pop — music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bank — of a river
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — to trim

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