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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.

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: lie · can · ruler · wave · rock · spring · lash · object

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. object — an aim
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. object — a thing
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — a coil
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. can — a tin
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rock — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spring — of water
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. object — to protest
  22. spring — the season
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rock — a stone

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