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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.

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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: track · pass · kick · cabinet · shower · bowl · wave · foot

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. kick — in football
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pass — a permit
  14. track — a path
  15. shower — rain
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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