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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: prune · pass · tear · bulb · bass · suit · club · track

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. track — to keep track
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. tear — from crying
  7. club — for golf
  8. bass — low music
  9. pass — a permit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — to fit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. club — a group
  24. tear — from crying

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