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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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468
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: swing · mate · rash · lash · fine · present · racket · fall

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. fall — to drop
  3. present — there
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fall — to drop
  6. swing — music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rash — a series
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mate — to breed
  13. present — the time now
  14. swing — in golf
  15. fall — the season
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mate — a friend
  23. present — a gift
  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