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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: bat · bear · bulb · ground · calf · dip · bay · branch

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ground — the earth
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. ground — a position
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bat — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. branch — a division
  24. bulb — for light

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