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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: prune · scale · rash · racket · band · lean · bulb · fine

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rash — a series
  8. fine — high quality
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. band — a ring
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bulb — for light
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fine — all right
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. prune — to trim

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