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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 120 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: row · ruler · lash · kick · bank · firm

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. firm — steady
  7. kick — in football
  8. row — to paddle
  9. firm — decided
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. row — a line
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. firm — a company

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