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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: suit · bear · current · bulb · pound · tube · prune · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. suit — in cards
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fine — all right
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. current — happening now
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. current — of water
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tube — a container
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fine — a penalty

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