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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: pop · lash · row · pit · bulb · prune · suit · perch

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pop — soda
  7. row — a line
  8. prune — to trim
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pop — music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — the fish
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pop — to visit
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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