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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: stem · fine · shower · last · mug · wave · foot · straw

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mug — a face
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. foot — a measure
  5. last — finally
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. shower — to wash
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. last — to go on
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. fine — all right
  16. mug — to rob
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mug — a cup
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. shower — rain
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. last — final
  23. fine — high quality
  24. foot — the bottom

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