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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
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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: lash · hand · racket · tear · rush · can · cabinet · lie

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — to recline
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hand — help
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — hurry
  21. can — a tin
  22. hand — in cards
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. hand — part of the body

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