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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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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: ruler · sharp · firm · lash · rash · rock · hand · current

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rash — hasty
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. firm — steady
  7. rock — music
  8. rash — a series
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. firm — a company
  12. hand — help
  13. sharp — clever
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. current — happening now
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. current — electric
  21. firm — decided
  22. current — of water
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rash — on the skin

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