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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: firm · prune · leaves · shower · court · race · lash · bulb

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. firm — decided
  4. race — the arms race
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bulb — for light
  8. race — humankind
  9. firm — a company
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. court — of a king
  12. firm — steady
  13. court — of law
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. court — for sport
  20. shower — to wash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. shower — rain
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. prune — to trim

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