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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: race · net · sharp · cap · lean · bulb · bay · firm

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. net — after costs
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lean — thin
  6. cap — of ice
  7. firm — a company
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lean — to bend
  12. firm — steady
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. cap — a lid
  15. race — humankind
  16. net — for catching
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. firm — decided
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bulb — for light
  21. race — a contest
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. net — in sport

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