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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: bass · ground · bark · face · drill · pitcher · bulb · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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. bark — to shout
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — to confront
  6. bass — low music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bass — the fish
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ground — a position
  21. drill — army training
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bark — of a tree

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