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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: rash · prune · bulb · rush · wave · net · pitcher · pound

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. net — for catching
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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