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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: mine · net · rock · bay · bulb · band · deal · perch

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. band — a music group
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. net — for catching
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. net — after costs
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. net — in sport
  12. band — a ring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rock — a stone
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rock — music

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