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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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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: bass · saw · temple · wave · swing · racket · bank · shower

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bank — for money
  5. shower — rain
  6. swing — in golf
  7. shower — to wash
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. saw — the tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — of a river
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bank — for money
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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