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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: shower · wave · squash · can · bass · chip · bulb · fork

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. shower — to wash
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. squash — to crush
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. shower — rain
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. squash — the sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. bass — low music
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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