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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: pass · rash · stock · lean · lash · squash · mate · rush

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stock — goods
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pass — a permit
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mate — to breed
  18. lean — to bend
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stock — shares
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lash — an eyelash

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