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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: ground · scale · lash · hand · bound · rush · mark · rest

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bound — tied together
  7. ground — crushed
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ground — a position
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hand — help
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bound — certain
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rest — a break

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