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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · trunk · present · rush · march · mate · jam · row

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. march — music
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. row — to paddle
  5. march — the month
  6. mate — a partner
  7. present — there
  8. row — a line
  9. rush — hurry
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. march — the month
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. jam — in traffic

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