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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: cap · hide · bulb · kid · wax · bass · suit · safe

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. kid — to tease
  4. cap — a hat
  5. suit — to fit
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bass — the fish
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cap — of ice
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bass — low music
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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