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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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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: wave · lash · ruler · kid · pit · shower

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pit — in a race
  3. kid — child
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. kid — to tease
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pit — a hole
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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