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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: ball · rush · stand · lash · fine · wind · suit · bore

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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