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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: chair · firm · calf · prune · deal · bulb · bound · rest

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — what's left
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. prune — to trim
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chair — a leader
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — decided
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bound — certain
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bound — tied together
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bound — obliged
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. deal — to handle

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