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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: bulb · firm · prune · perch · lash · object · mark · trunk

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. object — a thing
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. mark — a trace
  8. perch — the fish
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. object — to protest
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a grade
  16. firm — a company
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. firm — steady
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. firm — decided
  23. object — an aim
  24. mark — to pay attention

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