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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: rush · lean · ball · racket · march · stem · bat · lash

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bat — the animal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. march — music
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. lean — thin
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. march — the month
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. march — the month
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bat — for baseball

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