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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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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: foot · toast · wind · board · nail · wave · firm · shower

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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 — with your hand
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — steady
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. board — to get on
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. toast — bread
  9. board — a committee
  10. wind — moving air
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. shower — rain
  15. firm — a company
  16. shower — to wash
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wind — moving air
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. firm — decided
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. foot — a measure
  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