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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: lash · wound · dip · bat · ruler · calf · bound · mark

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mark — a grade
  8. dip — to sink
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bound — certain
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bound — obliged
  16. wound — an injury
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bat — for baseball

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