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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 120 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: pass · board · bulb · net · bear · racket · file · spring

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. file — a line of people
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. file — a tool
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. board — a committee
  15. net — for catching
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. file — a document
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — after costs
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. spring — a coil

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