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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: jam · spell · wave · date · tube · season · racket · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. season — in sport
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. spell — magic
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. tube — a container
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. spell — a short time
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. spell — letters
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. shower — to wash
  20. season — of the year
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — the fruit
  23. tube — the underground
  24. date — on the calendar

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