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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: jam · lash · bulb · sharp · shower · wave · bore · pitch

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. shower — rain
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bulb — for light
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. lash — to lash out

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