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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 120 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: field · bore · lean · ball · ruler · rush · lash · sharp

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. field — for sport
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. field — a subject
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. bore — to drill
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. field — farmland
  24. lash — to lash out

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