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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: pitcher · jam · wave · shower · branch · mug · safe · wake

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. shower — rain
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wake — a trail
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — a division
  20. mug — a face
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. shower — to wash
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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