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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: tube · rest · last · fall · leaves · lash · rush · bowl

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. last — finally
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fall — the season
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rest — a break
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rush — hurry
  14. last — final
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. tube — the underground
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. last — to go on
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. tube — a container
  24. bowl — a football final

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