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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 · lie · band · ruler · rock · arm · ground · spring

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ground — a position
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lie — to recline
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. band — a ring
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rock — music
  20. band — a music group
  21. spring — the season
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — an untruth

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