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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: foot · mug · deal · bowl · rush · cell · shower · wave

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. mug — a cup
  2. shower — to wash
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. foot — a measure
  7. shower — rain
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rush — hurry
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mug — a face
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mug — to rob
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. cell — a phone
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  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