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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 · ruler · can · spring · degree · deal · tube · charge

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. spring — of water
  4. degree — an amount
  5. tube — the underground
  6. can — a tin
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — a container
  9. charge — in control
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spring — the season
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. degree — temperature
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. degree — from a university
  19. spring — a coil
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. deal — to handle
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ruler — for measuring

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