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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.

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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: lie · bat · bank · bulb · bay · degree · dip · mouse

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — from a university
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bank — for money
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lie — to recline
  15. degree — temperature
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bank — for money

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