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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.

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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: shower · mark · lash · firm · fall · can · cue · lie

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. shower — to wash
  3. can — a tin
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lie — to recline
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fall — to drop
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — a grade
  11. shower — rain
  12. fall — to drop
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. firm — decided
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — steady
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. can — a tin

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