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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: rash · kid · lash · net · lean · rush · staff · track

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. net — in sport
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rash — a series
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. staff — a stick
  12. net — after costs
  13. staff — employees
  14. track — a path
  15. net — for catching
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rush — hurry
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. track — a song
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. rash — hasty
  24. staff — employees

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