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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 116 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: wave · ground · current · rash · rest · bowl · bay · net

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rash — a series
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rash — hasty
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. current — electric
  19. ground — a position
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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