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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.

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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 · stand · bass · perch · lash · root · pound · mate

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bass — low music
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mate — to breed
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bass — the instrument

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