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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · present · current · lash · lean · mouse · ruler · scale

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. present — a gift
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. present — the time now
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. scale — size or range
  8. current — happening now
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — there
  11. scale — in music
  12. spring — of water
  13. lean — to bend
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spring — a coil
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. spring — the season
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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