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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.

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: lash · shower · cue · bass · bear · face · pitcher · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. shower — rain
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. shower — to wash
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. face — to confront
  9. cue — a signal
  10. face — to point toward
  11. file — a tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bear — the animal

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