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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: object · bear · net · stand · cap · roll · bulb · racket

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — in sport
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cap — a hat
  7. object — a thing
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — to protest
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bear — the animal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cap — of ice
  19. net — for catching
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bulb — for light

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