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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: stick · prune · arm · season · branch · kick · fan · bulb

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — a division
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. kick — in football
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. prune — to trim
  19. season — in sport
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. season — of the year
  24. arm — part of the body

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