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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: lash · bulb · field · prune · swing · wave · cue · suit

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. field — for sport
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. field — a subject
  8. bulb — for light
  9. swing — to play on
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. suit — to fit
  12. field — farmland
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cue — a signal
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cue — a hint
  24. prune — to trim

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