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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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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 · bear · shower · bulb · suit · net · stand · pitcher

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — a permit
  11. suit — to fit
  12. net — for catching
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — in sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. shower — rain
  22. suit — in cards
  23. net — after costs
  24. bear — the animal

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