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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.

Make a worksheet

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: net · object · shower · squash · lash · mate · vault · bass

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. squash — the sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. squash — to crush
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. net — after costs
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mate — a friend
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. object — a thing
  20. bass — low music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. shower — rain
  23. net — in sport
  24. lash — to lash out

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