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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: stick · jam · saw · net · rest · mark · band · bulb

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. net — for catching

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