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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bank — for money
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — to come down
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — a company
  9. net — for catching
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. object — an aim
  12. land — ground
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. land — a country
  15. object — a thing
  16. firm — decided
  17. net — in sport
  18. object — to protest
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. net — after costs
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bank — of a river

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