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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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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: swing · chest · leaves · shower · bulb · row · wave · pass

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. row — to paddle
  6. shower — rain
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. shower — to wash
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. swing — music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. row — a line
  17. chest — of your body
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — to play on
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bulb — for light

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