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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 120 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: shower · bulb · dip · object · squash · wax · hide · stand

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. object — to protest
  5. shower — to wash
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wax — to grow
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. shower — rain
  19. object — an aim
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bulb — for light
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — a thing

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