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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. band — a ring
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fall — the season
  13. track — a song
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. track — a path
  19. fall — to drop
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bear — the animal
  22. swing — music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. swing — to play on

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