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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 116 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: pass · track · net · firm · charge · spring · bulb · stick

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. spring — the season
  3. charge — a price
  4. net — for catching
  5. bulb — for light
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. firm — steady
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. net — in sport
  14. charge — in control
  15. net — after costs
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — decided
  19. spring — of water
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. firm — a company

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