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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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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 · ground · ruler · object · temple · deal · wound · wake

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. object — to protest
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — a thing
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ground — a position
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ground — crushed
  24. object — an aim

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