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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.

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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rash — a series
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bass — low music
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. row — a line
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. face — to confront
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the instrument

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