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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: chest · leaves · rash · swing · deal · fine · lash · mouse

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. swing — to play on
  5. chest — a box
  6. swing — in golf
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fine — all right
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. swing — music
  12. rash — hasty
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. chest — of your body

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