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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: bulb · net · object · mark · stand · toast · patient · prune

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bulb — for light
  3. toast — bread
  4. object — to protest
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stand — to bear
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mark — a trace
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. prune — to trim
  15. object — an aim
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. net — after costs
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. net — in sport
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. object — a thing
  24. bulb — of a plant

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