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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: dip · rule · rest · roll · mate · wave · shower · leaves

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rest — a break
  6. shower — rain
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. roll — a cake
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mate — a friend
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rule — government
  17. roll — a list
  18. rule — a law
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. leaves — to go away

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