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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · racket · bulb · bank · nail · arm · row · shower

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. row — a line
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bank — for money
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — to trim
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — to trim
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. racket — for tennis

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