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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: rest · lean · pop · wave · pass · shower · wake · rush

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. shower — rain
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lean — thin
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pop — soda
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rest — a break
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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