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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: rush · ruler · wave · toast · wound · mark · chest · rash

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — a series
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. toast — bread
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chest — a box
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mark — a trace
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rush — a thrill

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