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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: rush · wake · stick · jam · snap · nail · can · shower

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. shower — rain
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. snap — to click
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. shower — to wash
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. can — a tin
  24. wake — a trail

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