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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: spring · lie · lash · rush · shower · kid · cue · perch

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. spring — the season
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. spring — of water
  16. shower — rain
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kid — to tease
  20. shower — to wash
  21. kid — child
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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