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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: kick · wave · trunk · rash · board · shower · pass · wax

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. shower — rain
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wax — to grow
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pass — a permit
  16. kick — in football
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. board — a committee
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rash — a series
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. board — to get on

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