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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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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: pass · scale · prune · march · cell · bound · nail · bulb

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cell — in biology
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. prune — to trim
  7. march — the month
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bound — certain
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. march — music
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bulb — for light
  18. scale — in music
  19. march — the month
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cell — a phone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bound — tied together
  24. nail — for a hammer

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