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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: dip · foot · mug · fall · file · club · wave · pitcher

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mug — a face
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. file — a tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. club — a group
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — a cup
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. club — for golf
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mug — to rob
  23. file — a document
  24. dip — to sink

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