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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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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. march — the month
  7. band — a ring
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. band — a music group
  12. march — music
  13. deal — to handle
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. march — the month

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