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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: mine · lash · rock · season · game · wave · firm · shower

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rock — music
  5. game — a match
  6. rock — a stone
  7. firm — steady
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. game — wild animals
  13. shower — to wash
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. firm — a company
  20. shower — rain
  21. mine — for digging
  22. firm — decided
  23. season — in sport
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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