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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · safe · root · pitcher · wave · perch · kid · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. root — of a word
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. root — the cause
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — to tease
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. root — of a plant
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wave — of the sea

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