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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: shower · bore · fan · kick · wave · chair · fork · firm

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. firm — decided
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bore — to drill
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. kick — in football
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fork — in a road
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. firm — a company
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. firm — steady

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