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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: chip · wave · hand · fine · hide · court · bowl · shower

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. court — of law
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. shower — rain
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hand — help
  9. chip — to eat
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. chip — for betting
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fine — all right
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. court — for sport
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — in a computer

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