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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: kick · leaves · shower · spring · saw · plane · hide · bulb

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. spring — of water
  3. saw — the tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. spring — a coil
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. shower — to wash
  16. kick — in football
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. shower — rain
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — a tool
  23. spring — the season
  24. leaves — lets stay

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