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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: rush · bulb · prune · saw · ball · firm · court · lean

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. firm — decided
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. firm — a company
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. court — for sport
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — steady
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rush — hurry
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — thin
  23. court — of law
  24. ball — a round shape

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