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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 · bulb · can · bound · tube · stand · saw · shower

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. can — a tin
  3. shower — to wash
  4. can — to be able to
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. tube — the underground
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. shower — rain
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — the tool
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bound — tied together
  21. tube — a container
  22. stand — to bear
  23. can — a tin
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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