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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: bear · court · band · kick · lash · cabinet · bay · ruler

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. band — a ring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. court — of law
  15. court — of a king
  16. band — a music group
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. court — for sport
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. ruler — for measuring

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