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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · march · board · ruler · hand · kid · lash · mouse

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. kid — to tease
  3. march — the month
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. march — music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bound — certain
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. hand — help
  20. kid — child
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. march — the month
  24. board — a flat piece

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