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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 116 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: hide · rash · spring · bulb · trunk · wax · suit · ball

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. spring — the season
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. spring — of water
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rash — a series
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bulb — for light
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rash — hasty
  20. ball — a dance
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rash — on the skin

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