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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 116 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
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: leaves · can · fan · rush · stick · race · rash · present

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rash — a series
  6. can — a tin
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. race — a contest
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. race — humankind
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. can — a tin
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. present — there
  24. rush — hurry

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