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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.

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: can · shower · bay · root · craft · object · band · bulb

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — to wash
  4. root — of a word
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. craft — a skill
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. root — the cause
  10. can — a tin
  11. root — of a plant
  12. object — an aim
  13. craft — boats
  14. band — a ring
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. shower — rain
  18. object — to protest
  19. band — a music group
  20. can — a tin
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bulb — for light
  24. can — to be able to

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