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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: stick · present · bulb · court · prune · object · arm · stem

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. object — a thing
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. present — the time now
  5. prune — to trim
  6. court — of a king
  7. present — a gift
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. object — an aim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — there
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — to come from
  21. object — to protest
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bulb — of a plant

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