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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: bulb · pound · sharp · bowl · net · craft · mug · wound

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pound — a weight
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. craft — boats
  12. bulb — for light
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. craft — a skill
  20. net — for catching
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bulb — of a plant

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