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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: kick · bay · content · bulb · object · bass · season · ground

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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. bulb — of a plant
  3. season — of the year
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bass — low music
  6. ground — a position
  7. kick — in football
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. content — the amount
  10. object — a thing
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ground — crushed
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. object — to protest
  18. season — in sport
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. object — an aim
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ground — the earth
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. content — happy

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