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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: dip · bound · mark · last · rash · prune · craft · bulb

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rash — hasty
  6. craft — boats
  7. last — final
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. dip — to sink
  16. last — finally
  17. rash — a series
  18. last — to go on
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bound — tied together
  23. prune — to trim
  24. dip — a sauce

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