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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 116 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: kid · ruler · board · stand · rule · wave · rest · lash

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kid — child
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. stand — to bear
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rule — government
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. board — to get on
  17. rest — a break
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rule — a law
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. board — a committee
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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