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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: wave · cabinet · rush · root · shower · toast · mouse · fork

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. toast — bread
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. root — the cause
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rush — hurry
  20. shower — rain
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. root — of a word
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — the animal

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