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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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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: chest · nail · lash · bay · rash · stand · prune · pass

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. chest — a box
  6. prune — to trim
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — to bear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. prune — to trim
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rash — a series
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rash — on the skin

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