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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 116 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 · net · ball · hand · row · charge · track · lash

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hand — in cards
  4. row — to paddle
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. net — for catching
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. row — a line
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hand — help
  17. net — in sport
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. track — a song
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. net — after costs

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