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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 116 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: fork · swing · mark · dip · wave · bulb · shower · hide

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. swing — to play on
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a trace
  5. shower — rain
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. swing — in golf
  22. shower — to wash
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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