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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · racket · lash · tube · present · can · ground · dip

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. present — there
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ground — crushed
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. present — a gift
  10. tube — the underground
  11. can — a tin
  12. dip — to sink
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ground — the earth
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. can — a tin
  18. tube — a container
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rash — hasty
  21. can — to be able to
  22. present — the time now
  23. ground — a position
  24. rash — on the skin

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