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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: mate · rush · shower · roll · bank · bulb · drill · wave

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — a list
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. mate — a partner
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. shower — rain
  15. bank — for money
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bank — for money
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. roll — on a roll

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