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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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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 · stem · suit · ball · shower · wound · season · chair

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wound — an injury
  3. season — of the year
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. suit — to fit
  7. shower — rain
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — to wash
  11. suit — in cards
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. season — in sport
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ball — a dance
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. chair — a leader
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ball — a great time
  24. season — to add flavour

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