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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: tube · prune · ruler · bulb · fall · toast · suit · swing

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. suit — to fit
  3. tube — a container
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fall — to drop
  8. toast — bread
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. swing — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. prune — to trim
  18. swing — in golf
  19. fall — the season
  20. swing — to play on
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. tube — the underground

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