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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: chest · lash · ruler · leaves · wound · cabinet · bore · season

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. chest — of your body
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. season — of the year
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chest — a box
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — in sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. ruler — for measuring

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