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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: pass · trunk · bay · bulb · kid · can · object · hide

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. object — to protest
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pass — a permit
  16. kid — to tease
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. kid — child
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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