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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: lash · tear · suit · mouse · rush · roll · track · row

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. row — a line
  8. roll — a list
  9. row — to paddle
  10. roll — a cake
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. track — a path
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. track — a song
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. tear — to rip

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