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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: bulb · scale · toast · bank · prune · cue · ball · spell

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spell — letters
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — a signal
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. toast — bread
  14. spell — magic
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ball — a dance
  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