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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.

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: lean · saw · wave · board · tear · prune · tube · bulb

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. saw — the tool
  6. board — to get on
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. tear — to rip
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. tube — a container
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — a committee
  19. lean — thin
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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