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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
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: wave · stand · fine · perch · deal · dip · shower · ball

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stand — to bear
  5. shower — to wash
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fine — all right
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. shower — rain
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fine — high quality
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ball — a dance
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ball — a round shape

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