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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 · mate · wave · row · bass · cabinet · bowl · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mate — a friend
  6. row — a line
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mate — a partner
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mate — to breed
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. row — to paddle
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — low music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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