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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: board · track · foot · wave · rash · net · plane · shower

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. foot — a measure
  3. track — a song
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. net — for catching
  7. track — to keep track
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. board — a committee
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. track — a path
  14. board — to get on
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rash — a series
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rash — hasty
  21. net — after costs
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. net — in sport

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