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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ground · prune · chip · fork · bulb · wake · lean · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. tube — the underground
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ground — the earth
  6. prune — to trim
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ground — a position
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — thin
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. lean — to bend
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fork — to eat with

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