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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.

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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: band · track · lash · rush · hide · lean · cabinet · racket

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lean — thin
  4. track — a song
  5. track — a path
  6. band — a music group
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. band — a ring
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rush — hurry
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. racket — a loud noise

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