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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: fan · snap · net · tube · bulb · safe · pit · plane

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. net — for catching
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pit — a hole
  8. net — after costs
  9. snap — to click
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. net — in sport
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pit — in a race
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. fan — to cool the air

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