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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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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: dip · leaves · jam · rule · stand · fall · content · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. stand — to bear
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rule — a law
  11. fall — to drop
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. content — the amount
  19. fall — the season
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rule — government
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. content — happy

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