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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.

Words on the sheet
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: bay · prune · root · ruler · bore · current · bulb · season

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bore — to tire
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. season — of the year
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. root — of a plant
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. bulb — for light
  15. root — of a word
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. current — electric
  20. season — in sport
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. season — to add flavour

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