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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: saw · leaves · shower · bulb · wax · squash · foot · calf

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. shower — rain
  3. bulb — for light
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bulb — for light
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. foot — a measure
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. shower — to wash
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. squash — to crush
  24. leaves — lets stay

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