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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 120 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: bulb · hide · shower · bass · bear · pass · season · bank

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bank — for money
  7. bulb — for light
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bank — of a river
  11. shower — rain
  12. bass — the fish
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. season — of the year
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bass — low music
  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