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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: mate · hide · foot · saw · bulb · shower · fine · bass

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bass — low music
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mate — a friend
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mate — a partner
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mate — to breed
  21. shower — rain
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fine — a penalty
  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