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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
468
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: spell · prune · rash · game · bass · mate · craft · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bulb — for light
  4. game — wild animals
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. game — a match
  10. spell — a short time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rash — a series
  14. prune — to trim
  15. spell — letters
  16. craft — a skill
  17. spell — magic
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. craft — boats
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bass — low music

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