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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: rock · mouse · stand · shower · lash · mark · object · snap

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stand — to bear
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rock — a stone
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. object — a thing
  16. snap — to click
  17. object — to protest
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. shower — rain
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rock — music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. shower — to wash
  24. object — an aim

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