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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 116 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 · prune · drill · net · safe · object · spring · club

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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 — of water
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. drill — army training
  5. net — after costs
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. object — to protest
  8. net — for catching
  9. club — for dancing
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. object — a thing
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. object — an aim
  16. spring — the season
  17. club — for golf
  18. spring — a coil
  19. club — a group
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. net — in sport

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