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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 · bore · ruler · game · bowl · squash · rule · bark

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. rule — a law
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. game — a match
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bark — to shout

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