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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: pass · bulb · spell · wake · lie · sharp · prune · fine

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. spell — letters
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bulb — for light
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. wake — a trail
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. spell — magic
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bulb — for light
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pass — a permit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wake — before a funeral

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