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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: bulb · bowl · sharp · rock · bay · pitcher · track · stem

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bulb — for light
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. bulb — for light
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rock — music
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. track — a song

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