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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: current · suit · lash · object · stand · shower · drill · rest

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. current — of water
  3. object — an aim
  4. rest — what's left
  5. current — electric
  6. shower — rain
  7. drill — army training
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. object — to protest
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. current — happening now
  18. rest — a break
  19. object — a thing
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. suit — in cards
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — to fit

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