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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 120 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: suit · rock · row · court · bowl · bulb · prune · firm

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — steady
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. suit — to fit
  12. firm — decided
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rock — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. court — for sport
  17. rock — a stone
  18. firm — a company
  19. court — of a king
  20. bulb — for light
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. court — of law
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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