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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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468
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: deal · perch · prune · lie · bulb · mouse · fine · present

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. fine — all right
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. present — there
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. present — a gift
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — the time now
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bulb — for light
  23. prune — to trim
  24. deal — to handle

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