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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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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: mark · lash · rush · swing · bore · racket · board · ruler

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. swing — music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bore — to drill
  11. board — a committee
  12. swing — in golf
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. swing — to play on
  24. racket — for tennis

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