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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. rush — hurry
  3. wake — a trail
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. shower — rain
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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