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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: cell · lash · bass · race · deal · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. race — a contest
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cell — in biology
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. deal — to handle
  11. race — humankind
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bass — low music
  16. cell — a phone
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. race — the arms race

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