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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: nail · season · bulb · dip · bear · net

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. net — in sport
  5. bear — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. bulb — for light
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. season — in sport
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — of the year

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