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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: file · wound · ruler · lash · suit · game · foot · scale

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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. game — wild animals
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. game — a match
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. foot — a measure
  8. file — a line of people
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. file — a tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. scale — in music
  20. wound — an injury
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wound — an injury
  24. file — a document

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