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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 · patient · scale · bulb · vault · coach · bear · prune

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — magic
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. vault — a safe
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. spell — letters
  15. scale — in music
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. scale — size or range
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. prune — the fruit
  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