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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 116 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: season · rest · rash · nail · ruler · band · lash · chip

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. band — a music group
  8. season — of the year
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rest — a break
  12. rash — hasty
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rest — what's left
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. season — in sport
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rash — a series
  24. band — a ring

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