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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 116 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: lash · rush · lie · prune · track · rest · pitcher · content

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rush — hurry
  6. content — happy
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rest — what's left
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. track — a song
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. track — a path
  23. lie — to recline
  24. rest — a break

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