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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. craft — boats
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. race — a contest
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. race — humankind
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. race — the arms race

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