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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
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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: bulb · net · pit · lean · plane · prune · bowl · fan

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pit — in a race
  7. net — for catching
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. net — after costs
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bulb — for light
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pit — a hole
  17. lean — to bend
  18. prune — to trim
  19. net — in sport
  20. lean — thin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bowl — to roll

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