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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: fan · hand · board · prune · wave · bulb · pass · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. board — a committee
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. board — to get on
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hand — help
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bear — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — a flat piece

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