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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: fork · track · ruler · toast · lash · hand · bore · bulb

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. track — a path
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. hand — help
  12. toast — bread
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. fork — in a road
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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