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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 116 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: can · march · root · lash · club · rush · deal · band

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. march — the month
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. band — a ring
  5. root — of a word
  6. band — a music group
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. deal — to handle
  10. march — music
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. march — the month
  13. root — the cause
  14. club — for golf
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. can — a tin
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. root — of a plant
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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