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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: face · fall · bank · wax · shower · foot · bulb · calf

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. face — to point toward
  4. foot — a measure
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fall — the season
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wax — to grow
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bank — for money
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fall — to drop
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bank — for money

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