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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: object · bear · lash · hand · roll · swing · bound · ruler

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bound — tied together
  8. roll — a list
  9. hand — help
  10. bound — obliged
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. hand — in cards
  14. swing — music
  15. bound — certain
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. swing — in golf
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. swing — to play on
  24. object — a thing

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