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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: rock · mark · ruler · craft · spell · toast · content · lash

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spell — letters
  7. content — happy
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. content — the amount
  11. mark — a grade
  12. toast — bread
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mark — a trace
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. spell — a short time

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