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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 120 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: ruler · last · current · prune · spring · stand · bulb · hide

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. current — electric
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spring — a coil
  13. last — finally
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. last — final
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — of water
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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