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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: rest · mouse · ruler · row · sharp · lash · track · temple

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rest — what's left
  4. row — a line
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — to paddle
  14. sharp — clever
  15. track — to keep track
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — a song
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — a path
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. ruler — a monarch

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