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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: wax · board · pop · bass · toast · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. shower — rain
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. toast — bread
  9. bass — the fish
  10. board — a committee
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wax — to grow
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pop — soda
  16. board — to get on
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. shower — to wash

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