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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: mouse · shower · stand · ground · spell · pitcher · racket · wave

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spell — magic
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ground — crushed
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spell — letters
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. ground — a position
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — to wash

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