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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
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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: dip · drill · shower · lash · object · bowl · wake · board

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. board — a committee
  13. dip — to sink
  14. shower — to wash
  15. drill — army training
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. wake — a trail
  19. board — to get on
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. object — to protest
  23. shower — rain
  24. bowl — to roll

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