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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · scale · rule · board · tube · temple · wound · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rule — a law
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. tube — a container
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. tube — the underground
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. scale — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rule — government
  24. wound — an injury

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