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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: rush · safe · lash · racket · fall · wound · net · jam

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. fall — the season
  10. net — after costs
  11. wound — an injury
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. net — in sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. net — for catching
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wound — an injury

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