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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: fine · lash · face · lean · bulb · ground · bass · bay

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — all right
  4. face — to point toward
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ground — crushed
  8. face — to confront
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bass — low music
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lean — thin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fine — high quality

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