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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: march · leaves · racket · cap · ruler · pound · lash · board

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. march — music
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. march — the month
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. march — the month
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. leaves — lets stay

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