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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 · hand · scale · chip · ruler · rest · bear · season

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rest — what's left
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. hand — help
  20. rest — a break
  21. season — of the year
  22. scale — in music
  23. season — in sport
  24. chip — for betting

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