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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: net · bulb · bore · firm · key · cabinet · wave · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. firm — a company
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. key — in music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. net — in sport
  17. bore — to tire
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bulb — for light
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cabinet — ministers

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