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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: track · stand · bass · nail · net · bulb · prune · bore

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bulb — for light
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — to bear
  14. net — in sport
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bass — low music
  17. track — to keep track
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bass — the fish
  23. net — after costs
  24. bore — gave birth

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