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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 116 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: rest · shower · lean · vault · pitcher · swing · lash · suit

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. swing — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. shower — to wash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. vault — a safe
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — to play on
  9. lean — thin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. suit — in cards
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. shower — rain
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rest — a break
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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