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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. hand — in cards
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. branch — a division
  10. mark — a grade
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. kick — in football
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. hand — help

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