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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: ruler · game · firm · face · scale · lash · kick · branch

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. kick — in football
  3. scale — in music
  4. game — a match
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. firm — a company
  7. face — to confront
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. face — to point toward
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. firm — steady
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. face — part of the head
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. firm — decided
  21. branch — a division
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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