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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.

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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: can · key · bulb · prune · mine · nail · coach · calf

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. prune — to trim
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bulb — for light
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mine — for digging
  21. key — the most important part
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. calf — a young animal

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