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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: sharp · lie · wave · shower · bass · mouse · suit · bear

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bass — low music
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bass — the fish
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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