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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 120 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: prune · cabinet · lash · pit · ball · clip · bulb · wake

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. clip — a video
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pit — in a race
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. clip — to cut
  22. clip — for paper
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bulb — for light

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