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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: march · rock · rush · trunk · file · rash · lash · stand

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. file — a document
  5. march — music
  6. file — a tool
  7. rash — a series
  8. file — a line of people
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. march — the month
  17. rock — music
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rush — hurry
  20. march — the month
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stand — to bear
  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