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

Word bank: shower · pit · wave · wake · bank · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. shower — to wash
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pit — in a race
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. shower — rain
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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