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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
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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 · ruler · spring · bowl · band · scale · file · date

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. file — a tool
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. spring — the season
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spring — of water
  8. file — a document
  9. band — a ring
  10. scale — in music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. file — a line of people
  15. spring — a coil
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. scale — size or range
  18. date — the fruit
  19. band — a music group
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lash — an eyelash

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