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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pass · ground · lie · firm · season · bay · degree · bulb

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — a company
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. season — in sport
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — of the year
  23. pass — a permit
  24. season — to add flavour

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