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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 · firm · mouse · land · prune · bound · nail · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bound — tied together
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — decided
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rash — hasty
  9. land — to come down
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. land — a country
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. firm — a company
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. firm — steady
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bound — certain
  24. land — ground

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