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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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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. shower — rain
  7. drill — the tool
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. drill — army training
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pop — music
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pop — soda
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. dip — to sink
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. drill — a practice

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