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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
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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: spell · lash · wave · shower · cell · leaves · net · firm

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. firm — a company
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. spell — letters
  5. cell — in biology
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. firm — steady
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. firm — decided
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. net — in sport
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. spell — a short time
  19. shower — rain
  20. net — for catching
  21. spell — magic
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. net — after costs
  24. shower — to wash

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