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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · wave · cap · stand · shower · suit · fan · season

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. suit — in cards
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. shower — to wash
  18. suit — to fit
  19. season — of the year
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — in sport
  24. racket — a loud noise

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