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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 · root · rock · fall · lash · firm · shower · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rock — music
  5. rush — hurry
  6. firm — decided
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. firm — steady
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. shower — rain
  12. rock — a stone
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. root — the cause
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. root — of a plant
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. fall — the season
  20. firm — a company
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. shower — to wash
  24. root — of a word

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