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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: object · spell · tear · prune · bulb · mark · rash · fine

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. object — an aim
  4. mark — a trace
  5. object — a thing
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. spell — letters
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — magic
  13. object — to protest
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rash — a series
  16. tear — to rip
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fine — all right
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. tear — from crying
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rash — on the skin

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