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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: bass · bulb · wave · hide · safe · game · face · season

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. game — wild animals
  4. season — of the year
  5. bass — the fish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. game — a match
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bass — low music
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. face — to point toward
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. face — to confront

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