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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
468
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: net · fan · stand · bulb · nail · season · bay · spell

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. spell — letters
  9. net — after costs
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. spell — a short time
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spell — magic
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stand — for spectators

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