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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: spell · board · trunk · scale · rock · ruler · roll · lash

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. spell — a short time
  3. roll — a cake
  4. board — to get on
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. spell — magic
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. spell — letters
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rock — music
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a list
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rock — a stone
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. lash — an eyelash

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