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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 120 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: rash · shower · mark · pit · lash · firm · fan · vault

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pit — a hole
  3. firm — steady
  4. mark — a trace
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. firm — a company
  11. shower — rain
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mark — a grade
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. shower — to wash
  17. firm — decided
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. vault — a safe

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