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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: stand · pound · tube · net · bulb · court · lie · club

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. court — of a king
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — a weight
  5. net — in sport
  6. tube — a container
  7. court — for sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. club — for golf
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. net — for catching
  14. lie — to recline
  15. court — of law
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. club — for dancing
  22. tube — the underground
  23. club — a group
  24. stand — to bear

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