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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · prune · bulb · land · mark · stick · pound · game

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — a weight
  4. suit — clothes
  5. land — to come down
  6. suit — in cards
  7. prune — to trim
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. land — a country
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. game — a match
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. game — wild animals
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. land — ground

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