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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: rock · lash · content · toast · rush · staff · chip · craft

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. staff — a stick
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. craft — boats
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. craft — a skill
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. staff — employees
  13. content — the amount
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rock — a stone
  17. staff — employees
  18. rock — music
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. chip — for betting
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. chip — to eat
  23. toast — bread
  24. content — happy

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