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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: ball · cabinet · wave · rush · fan · suit · pitcher · chip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rush — hurry
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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