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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
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: root · deal · bass · face · bulb · bat · lie · tube

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lie — to recline
  9. root — the cause
  10. tube — a container
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — of a plant
  13. tube — the underground
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bass — low music
  17. root — of a word
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bat — the animal
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. face — to confront
  24. bat — for baseball

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