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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · ruler · prune · bulb · file · pop · lash · ball

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pop — soda
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — in music
  14. file — a tool
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pop — to visit
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a line of people
  20. pop — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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