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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: kick · pitcher · lash · ruler · tear · ground · board · plane

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. board — to get on
  3. ground — crushed
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. tear — to rip
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. kick — in football
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. tear — from crying
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ground — the earth
  23. tear — from crying
  24. board — a committee

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