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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: lean · calf · lash · fork · bass · perch · prune · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. lean — thin
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bass — low music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. calf — a young animal

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