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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: can · shower · track · cabinet · bulb · mate · object · wave

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. track — to keep track
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — a song
  8. bulb — for light
  9. can — a tin
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. track — a path
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mate — a friend
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. object — an aim
  23. mate — to breed
  24. can — a tin

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