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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.

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: bowl · season · net · mug · object · land · ruler · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. net — after costs
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. land — to come down
  5. object — an aim
  6. land — ground
  7. spring — of water
  8. net — for catching
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. spring — the season
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. object — a thing
  18. land — a country
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. object — to protest
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mug — a cup
  24. net — in sport

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