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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: fall · present · can · nail · wave · wound · season · rush

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rush — hurry
  6. season — of the year
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. fall — the season
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. present — the time now
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. season — in sport
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — a gift
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — on a finger

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