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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.

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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: fan · stem · bass · bay · ball · pitch · scale · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stem — to come from
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. scale — in music
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pitch — completely
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. pitch — a sports field

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