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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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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: bulb · band · foot · bound · bay · land · racket · pass

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — to come down
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. band — a music group
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a ring
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. foot — a measure

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