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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
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: season · shower · lash · bore · wake · bowl · mouse · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bore — to tire
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. shower — rain
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — in sport
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. season — of the year
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. squash — the vegetable

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