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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 · wave · tube · racket · pass · bulb · mug · pit

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. net — after costs
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pass — a permit
  9. net — in sport
  10. tube — a container
  11. mug — to rob
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pit — a hole
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mug — a cup
  24. tube — in a tire

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