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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rash — a series
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. shower — rain
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. shower — to wash
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rash — on the skin

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