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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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: bulb · lash · bass · present · patient · dip · wound · calf

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. present — there
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. dip — to sink
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bass — low music
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. present — the time now
  24. patient — a sick person

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