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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: ruler · bulb · stick · pop · can · coach · snap · prune

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bulb — for light
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pop — music
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. can — a tin
  14. snap — to click
  15. pop — to visit
  16. can — a tin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pop — soda
  24. can — to be able to

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