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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: bulb · object · patient · prune · rest · ground · squash · scale

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. ground — a position
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ground — crushed
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ground — the earth
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. squash — the sport
  10. rest — what's left
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. squash — to crush
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. rest — a break
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. object — to protest
  20. scale — in music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. scale — size or range

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