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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 120 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: suit · bulb · ground · present · craft · net · pound · march

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. march — music
  3. net — in sport
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pound — a weight
  7. suit — clothes
  8. march — the month
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — there
  12. ground — a position
  13. net — after costs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. craft — boats
  16. present — a gift
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. net — for catching
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. march — the month
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — the time now

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