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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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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: bark · wave · bay · scale · rash · shower · swing · club

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. shower — to wash
  4. scale — in music
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rash — hasty
  7. scale — size or range
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. club — for dancing
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. club — for golf
  17. rash — a series
  18. club — a group
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. swing — music
  21. shower — rain
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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