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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
468
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: object · row · mark · wax · file · cabinet · shower · swing

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. shower — rain
  3. object — to protest
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. swing — music
  8. file — a document
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. object — an aim
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. shower — to wash
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wax — to grow
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a tool
  24. object — a thing

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