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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. shower — rain
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. current — happening now
  7. row — to paddle
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. wax — to grow
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. shower — to wash
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. suit — in cards
  23. row — a line
  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