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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
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: pop · rush · fall · row · prune · rest · lash · suit

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. row — to paddle
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rest — a break
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pop — to visit
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pop — music
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pop — soda
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fall — the season
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rest — what's left
  22. row — a line
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lash — to lash out

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