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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: club · net · coach · bulb · mine · face

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. mine — for digging
  3. face — to point toward
  4. net — after costs
  5. face — part of the head
  6. club — a group
  7. net — for catching
  8. face — to confront
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — for light
  14. club — for golf
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — a trainer

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