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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · racket · bass · shower · trunk · bulb · wax · mouse

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bulb — for light
  6. shower — to wash
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bass — low music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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