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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: lash · drill · firm · capital · march · perch · ruler · suit

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. perch — the fish
  6. drill — army training
  7. march — the month
  8. capital — a city
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. march — music
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. drill — a practice
  15. march — the month
  16. suit — to fit
  17. firm — decided
  18. capital — money
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. firm — a company
  24. perch — for a bird

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