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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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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: bass · bulb · leaves · rest · rush · lie · object · rash

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lie — to recline
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rash — hasty
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rest — a break
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bass — low music
  24. rash — on the skin

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