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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: cabinet · deal · season · march · lash · rock · wind · hide

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. season — of the year
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rock — music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. deal — to handle
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. march — the month
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. march — the month
  19. season — in sport
  20. march — music
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lash — to lash out

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