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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
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 · wax · bulb · pit · band · calf · stem · bass

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wax — to grow
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bulb — for light
  14. band — a music group
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. band — a ring
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wax — for sculpting

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