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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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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: wave · rush · ground · stem · leaves · bear · shower · lie

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stem — to come from
  12. shower — rain
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bear — to put up with

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