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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 · net · branch · rush · shower · mug · ruler

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. shower — to wash
  10. net — after costs
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. net — in sport
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. shower — rain
  15. mug — to rob
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. branch — a division
  18. net — for catching
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rush — hurry
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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