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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: ruler · march · wind · spring · pop · pit · rock · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pop — soda
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. spring — a coil
  22. march — the month
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pop — music

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