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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: bay · content · bulb · stem · lie · object

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. object — a thing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. content — happy
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stem — to come from
  16. object — an aim
  17. bulb — for light
  18. object — to protest

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