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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. file — a line of people
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. file — a document
  8. rash — hasty
  9. suit — clothes
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — a series
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bank — for money
  20. file — a tool
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. shower — rain

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