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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: ball · season · net · tube · bear · trunk · firm · current

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. tube — a container
  4. bear — the animal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. net — after costs
  7. season — of the year
  8. net — for catching
  9. firm — decided
  10. season — in sport
  11. tube — the underground
  12. current — electric
  13. firm — steady
  14. net — in sport
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. firm — a company
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a dance
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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