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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: charge · shower · lash · rest · current · toast · scale · firm

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. current — electric
  3. scale — in music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — electricity
  8. scale — size or range
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. firm — a company
  11. charge — in control
  12. current — happening now
  13. toast — bread
  14. firm — decided
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. charge — a price
  17. shower — to wash
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. firm — steady
  21. rest — a break
  22. current — of water
  23. shower — rain
  24. rest — what's left

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