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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 120 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: sharp · stem · rash · mouse · rush · fan · wave · cue

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rush — hurry
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rash — a series
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. sharp — clever
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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