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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.

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: degree · pop · bulb · bowl · field · bay · lash · rock

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. field — a subject
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. field — for sport
  13. pop — music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. degree — an amount
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bulb — for light
  21. field — farmland
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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