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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: squash · bear · prune · bat · rock · bulb · wave · arm

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bear — the animal
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — a stone
  13. prune — to trim
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bat — the animal
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rock — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bat — in an idiom

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