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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
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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: prune · ground · pitch · safe · roll · deal · row · bulb

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ground — a position
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ground — crushed
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. roll — a cake
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. prune — to trim
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. roll — a list
  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