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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: mine · kick · bulb · row · bay · present · dip · pop

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — soda
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. kick — in football
  11. present — there
  12. dip — to sink
  13. row — a line
  14. present — the time now
  15. row — to paddle
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mine — for digging
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pop — music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. present — a gift

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