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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: stock · dip · present · wound · prune · ruler · row · bulb

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. present — a gift
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bulb — for light
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. present — the time now
  11. stock — goods
  12. dip — to sink
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. present — there
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stock — shares
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bulb — of a plant

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