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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: rash · drill · patient · lash · leaves · present · shower · season

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. shower — rain
  4. season — in sport
  5. present — there
  6. rash — hasty
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. drill — army training
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rash — a series
  19. drill — a practice
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. season — of the year
  24. shower — to wash

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