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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: wave · band · perch · shower · charge · craft · foot · fall

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fall — the season
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. foot — a measure
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. band — a ring
  10. charge — a price
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. band — a music group
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. charge — in control
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. charge — electricity
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. craft — boats
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. craft — a skill

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