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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wound — an injury
  3. shower — rain
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. band — a music group
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fine — high quality
  15. prune — to trim
  16. band — a ring
  17. fine — all right
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. wound — an injury
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. shower — to wash

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