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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rock · squash · saw · rush · march · staff · ball · lash

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rush — hurry
  4. staff — employees
  5. rock — a stone
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. march — music
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. saw — the tool
  13. march — the month
  14. staff — employees
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. march — the month
  17. rock — music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. squash — to crush
  22. ball — a great time
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rock — to move gently

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