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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.

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: can · bound · bowl · shower · bass · snap · tear · lash

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. tear — to rip
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bass — low music
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. snap — to click
  12. can — to be able to
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. shower — rain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bound — obliged
  20. can — a tin
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bound — certain
  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