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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.

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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: rush · shower · pitcher · wake · wave · bass · ruler · bowl

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rush — hurry
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bass — low music
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bass — the fish
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wave — of the sea

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