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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: ball · rest · dip · date · nail · fall · bowl · shower

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. fall — the season
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. shower — rain
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rest — what's left
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fall — to drop
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fall — to drop
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. date — the fruit
  21. rest — a break
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rest — what's left

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