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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: bulb · degree · club · bay · foot · cell · season · bear

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. season — in sport
  9. foot — a measure
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. season — of the year
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. degree — from a university

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