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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
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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: lean · shower · firm · fine · stand · lash · swing · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. swing — to play on
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. shower — to wash
  6. swing — in golf
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. shower — rain
  9. fine — all right
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — a company
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stand — to bear
  17. date — the fruit
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lean — to bend
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. swing — music
  23. lean — thin
  24. firm — decided

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