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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: wind · temple · stand · saw · shower · suit · foot · dip

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stand — to bear
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wind — moving air
  12. foot — a measure
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. shower — rain
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. dip — to sink
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. temple — a place of worship

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