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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.

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: plane · degree · date · bay · bass · bear · bulb · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. degree — from a university
  3. date — the fruit
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bulb — for light
  21. degree — an amount
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. date — on the calendar

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