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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 116 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: sharp · branch · wave · prune · rush · fan · bulb · land

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. land — ground
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rush — hurry
  11. land — to come down
  12. branch — a division
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bulb — for light
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. land — a country
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rush — a thrill

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