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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: pass · cue · bulb · lean · branch · bark · prune · tube

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pass — a permit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. branch — a division
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cue — a signal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. prune — to trim
  16. tube — a container
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. cue — for pool
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pass — to succeed

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