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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.

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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rock — music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. drill — a practice
  12. craft — boats
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lean — thin
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lean — to bend
  22. drill — army training
  23. stock — goods
  24. ruler — for measuring

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