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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.

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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: bulb · track · cap · race · sharp · net · fine · cabinet

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. race — a contest
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a song
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cap — a lid
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. race — humankind
  16. net — after costs
  17. fine — all right
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. race — the arms race
  21. track — a path
  22. bulb — for light
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fine — high quality

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