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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · wound · kid · fine · bulb · rash · hide · wax

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. rash — a series
  3. kid — to tease
  4. fine — all right
  5. kid — child
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. wound — an injury
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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