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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: bound · stick · saw · root · shower · prune · squash · bulb

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. saw — the tool
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bound — certain
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. shower — rain
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bound — tied together
  10. squash — the sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — obliged
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. root — of a word
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. squash — the vegetable

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