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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.

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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 · racket · track · stand · craft · ground · bark

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. craft — boats
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. ground — a position
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. net — in sport
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. net — after costs
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. track — a song
  24. stand — on your feet

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