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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mate — a partner
  5. shower — rain
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. row — to paddle
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. row — a line
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rash — hasty
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rash — a series
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. rush — a thrill

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