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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: foot · bulb · fine · rest · rush · last · roll · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — a measure
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. bulb — for light
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. roll — a list
  10. last — final
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. roll — a cake
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. last — to go on
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fine — all right
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. last — finally
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rest — a break

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