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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: saw · can · rush · mark · tear · bulb · prune · kick

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. can — to be able to
  3. tear — from crying
  4. can — a tin
  5. kick — in football
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. prune — to trim
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tear — to rip
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. saw — the tool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mark — a trace
  23. can — a tin
  24. bulb — for light

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