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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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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: lash · deal · shower · cue · march · bass · safe · tear

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bass — low music
  3. cue — a signal
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. shower — to wash
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. cue — for pool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. march — music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tear — to rip
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. tear — from crying
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cue — a hint
  24. deal — to handle

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