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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
468
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: spell · prune · suit · lean · bulb · rest · root · patient

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. spell — letters
  3. root — of a word
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. lean — thin
  6. spell — magic
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. suit — clothes
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spell — a short time
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rest — what's left
  19. root — the cause
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. suit — in cards
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. prune — to trim

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