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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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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 · pass · rock · capital · spell · wound · cabinet · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rock — music
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spell — letters
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spell — a short time
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. spell — magic
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. capital — money
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ruler — a monarch

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