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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: roll · shower · foot · lash · bark · plane · pass · rock

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. roll — a list
  3. rock — music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bark — to shout
  12. rock — a stone
  13. roll — a cake
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pass — a permit
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. shower — rain

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