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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 · trunk · stand · march · lash · tube · file · mark

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. file — a line of people
  6. tube — the underground
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. march — music
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. march — the month
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. march — the month
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mark — a trace
  23. tube — a container
  24. stand — for spectators

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