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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: mouse · bulb · club · lean · prune · suit · bass · rule

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rule — government
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rule — a law
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — a group
  21. lean — thin
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bass — the instrument

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