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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: bulb · fine · shower · plane · present · spring · fall · net

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. spring — the season
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. present — a gift
  5. fine — high quality
  6. net — for catching
  7. present — there
  8. fall — to drop
  9. present — the time now
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. shower — rain
  14. fine — all right
  15. spring — of water
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. spring — a coil
  19. net — after costs
  20. fall — the season
  21. bulb — for light
  22. shower — to wash
  23. net — in sport
  24. bulb — for light

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