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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 120 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: dip · straw · rush · bulb · coach · bound · file · prune

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. prune — to trim
  3. file — a line of people
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. rush — hurry
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. file — a document
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. file — a tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bound — certain

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