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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · pound · vault · foot · lash · prune · cap · swing

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. swing — music
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — a safe
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. prune — to trim
  18. swing — in golf
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cap — a hat
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — of ice

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