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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: lean · capital · fine · lash · rest · prune · bulb · safe

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. fine — all right
  3. capital — a city
  4. bulb — for light
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — to trim
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rest — a break
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lean — thin

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