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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: jam · fine · shower · wake · pop · current · lash · bowl

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — to wash
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. current — happening now
  10. pop — soda
  11. current — electric
  12. fine — all right
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fine — high quality
  16. shower — rain
  17. pop — to visit
  18. current — of water
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pop — music

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