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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: rock · straw · game · dip · fan · lash · rush · suit

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. game — wild animals
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — a match
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — in cards
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. rock — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rush — hurry
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. dip — to sink
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rush — to hurry

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