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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: capital · coach · ruler · firm · prune · wake · pass · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. firm — decided
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. firm — steady
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. capital — money
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. capital — a city
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. firm — a company

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