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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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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: dip · bay · bulb · march · season · bound · pitcher · wave

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. march — the month
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. season — in sport
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bound — obliged
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bulb — for light
  19. season — of the year
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bound — certain
  24. bulb — for light

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