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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: net · bulb · nail · mark · lean · stick · clip · cap

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bulb — for light
  4. net — for catching
  5. mark — a trace
  6. clip — for paper
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cap — a lid
  12. lean — thin
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cap — a hat
  15. net — after costs
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. clip — to cut
  19. net — in sport
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — to bend
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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