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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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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: snap · lash · plane · scale · rock · capital · ruler · cabinet

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rock — a stone
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. snap — to click
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. capital — money
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rock — music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. scale — in music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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