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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 · firm · hand · racket · rock · ruler · wave · wake

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. hand — help
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. firm — decided
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. firm — steady
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rock — music
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — a company
  23. hand — in cards
  24. wake — a trail

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