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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: hide · lash · jam · squash · wave · perch · shower · pass

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. squash — to crush
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. shower — rain
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. shower — to wash
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. squash — the sport

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