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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · roll · cap · squash · stand · pitcher · spring · ruler

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. spring — of water
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. spring — the season
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — a list
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spring — a coil
  12. roll — a cake
  13. squash — the sport
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. squash — to crush

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