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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: wind · bulb · roll · prune · dip · mark · firm · lean

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. roll — a list
  3. wind — moving air
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. prune — to trim
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. firm — steady
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bulb — for light
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. dip — to sink
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. roll — a cake
  24. wind — moving air

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