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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: firm · date · dip · lash · rash · shower · racket · patient

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. firm — a company
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. dip — to sink
  5. shower — rain
  6. firm — steady
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rash — a series
  17. shower — to wash
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. firm — decided
  22. date — the fruit
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lash — an eyelash

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