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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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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: bulb · fall · mouse · prune · present · fine · wave · roll

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bulb — for light
  7. present — there
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fine — high quality
  12. roll — a list
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fine — all right
  16. present — a gift
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. present — the time now
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. fall — the season
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. roll — a cake
  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