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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: bulb · craft · ground · shower · club · mine · cabinet · calf

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bulb — for light
  3. shower — to wash
  4. craft — a skill
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. bulb — for light
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — a group
  17. craft — boats
  18. mine — for digging
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cabinet — ministers

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