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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: leaves · present · rush · bank · scale · ball · rash · lash

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. present — a gift
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. present — there
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rush — hurry
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. present — the time now
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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