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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: pass · bulb · current · fine · mouse · prune · row · band

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. current — electric
  3. fine — all right
  4. row — a line
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — happening now
  11. row — to paddle
  12. pass — a permit
  13. band — a music group
  14. current — of water
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. band — a ring
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mouse — the animal

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