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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: ruler · bank · shower · coach · lash · lie · rock · arm

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bank — for money
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bank — for money
  12. lie — to recline
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. shower — rain
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. shower — to wash
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bank — of a river

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