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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bank — for money
  7. capital — a city
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. capital — money
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cabinet — ministers

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