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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: deal · spring · lash · suit · rash · bulb · scale · prune

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. scale — size or range
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bulb — for light
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bulb — for light
  14. prune — to trim
  15. scale — in music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rash — hasty
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rash — a series
  23. spring — of water
  24. suit — clothes

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