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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: shower · ruler · object · stock · pound · rash · patient · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. object — an aim
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — a weight
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. shower — rain
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stock — goods
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stock — shares
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. object — to protest
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rash — a series
  22. shower — to wash
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. object — a thing

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