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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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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: net · branch · bulb · stick · toast · bay · ruler · mark

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. branch — a division
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mark — a grade
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. net — after costs
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. toast — bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. net — for catching
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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