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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · content · bass · bulb · bay · net · dip · fork

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. content — the amount
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. net — after costs
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fork — in a road
  18. content — happy
  19. bulb — for light
  20. net — for catching
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. net — in sport

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