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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: craft · row · shower · wave · last · stand · saw · toast

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. shower — rain
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. shower — to wash
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. row — to paddle
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stand — to bear
  19. craft — a skill
  20. toast — bread
  21. craft — boats
  22. last — to go on
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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