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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: bulb · net · patient · safe · board · bound · press · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. press — a publisher
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — obliged
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a committee
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bulb — for light
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — in sport
  16. bound — certain
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — tied together
  20. press — to push
  21. board — to get on
  22. net — after costs
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. patient — a sick person

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