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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: stand · rash · lash · racket · shower · rule · ground · firm

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stand — to bear
  6. firm — decided
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rule — government
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ground — the earth
  13. shower — to wash
  14. ground — a position
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. ground — crushed
  17. firm — steady
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rule — a law
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. firm — a company
  24. rash — a series

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