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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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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: jam · pit · bank · cell · present · lash · land · rush

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cell — in biology
  4. land — to come down
  5. cell — a phone
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. present — the time now
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bank — for money
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. land — a country
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. present — a gift
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rush — hurry
  24. land — ground

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