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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: mate · spell · track · prune · bulb · rock · perch · safe

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spell — letters
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. spell — a short time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — a partner
  9. spell — magic
  10. rock — music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. track — a path
  13. perch — the fish
  14. track — a song
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — to keep track
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mate — to breed
  24. safe — a strongbox

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