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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 · pop · key · charge · cabinet · fan · foot · shower

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — rain
  6. key — in music
  7. foot — a measure
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. charge — a price
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pop — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pop — soda
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pop — to visit

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