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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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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: suit · mouse · fan · rock · wind · tube · hide · wave

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — a container
  3. rock — music
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — in cards
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rock — to move gently

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