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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · wave · charge · tear · fork · net · shower · tube

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. shower — rain
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. tube — the underground
  5. shower — to wash
  6. charge — a price
  7. fork — in a road
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. net — after costs
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. tear — to rip
  16. ball — a great time
  17. tube — a container
  18. net — for catching
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. net — in sport
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. tear — from crying

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