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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · wind · rash · wave · club · calf · pass · shower

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. spell — magic
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rash — hasty
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wind — moving air
  10. shower — to wash
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — a permit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. shower — rain
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. club — for dancing
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — a group
  24. spell — letters

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