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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.

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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: lean · band · trunk · stand · lash · ruler · fine · snap

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lean — to bend
  9. band — a music group
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lean — thin
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. snap — to click
  22. fine — all right
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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