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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 120 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: straw · cell · lash · vault · stand · dip · rush · suit

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — a safe
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stand — to bear
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. suit — in cards
  24. straw — a straw man

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