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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. season — of the year
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bass — low music
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. season — in sport
  11. tube — a container
  12. game — wild animals
  13. tube — the underground
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. game — a match
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. branch — a division
  20. plane — a tool
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the fish

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