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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: cue · bowl · bulb · lean · net · can · chair · plane

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. lean — thin
  3. net — for catching
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. net — in sport
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cue — a hint
  10. plane — a tool
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cue — for pool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. can — a tin
  16. chair — a leader
  17. can — a tin
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bulb — for light
  20. net — after costs
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. lean — to rest against

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