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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 120 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: straw · prune · club · rush · bowl · present · lie · rash

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. present — there
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rash — a series
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rash — hasty
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. club — a group
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lie — to recline
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. club — for golf
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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