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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: row · stand · wave · nail · shower · staff · pound · mark

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mark — a trace
  6. shower — rain
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. staff — a stick
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stand — to bear
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. row — a line
  14. row — to paddle
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. staff — employees
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pound — a weight
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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