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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: shower · sharp · wound · ball · spring · rock · suit · plane

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. suit — clothes
  5. shower — rain
  6. wound — an injury
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wound — an injury
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rock — music
  13. spring — the season
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — to fit
  22. shower — to wash
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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