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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: lash · mate · ruler · field · fork · toast

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. field — a subject
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. field — for sport
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. field — farmland
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. toast — bread

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