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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: lash · hand · pound · wake · root · bowl · shower · rush

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wake — a trail
  3. root — of a word
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. shower — rain
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. hand — help
  16. pound — a weight
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hand — in cards
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rush — to 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