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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: spell · stick · prune · mark · board · bulb · bound · net

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. net — in sport
  8. board — to get on
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spell — magic
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. spell — letters
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. net — for catching
  15. prune — to trim
  16. board — a committee
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — a trace
  24. net — after costs

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