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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 · tube · spell · pass · branch · bulb · stick · race

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. spell — magic
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. tube — the underground
  7. spell — letters
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. tube — a container
  12. pass — a permit
  13. net — after costs
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bulb — for light
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. branch — a division
  20. spell — a short time
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. race — a contest

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