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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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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: lash · bark · ruler · hand · mine · bound · stock · net

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. net — after costs
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. net — in sport
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. stock — goods
  13. hand — help
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bound — tied together
  18. net — for catching
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. hand — in cards
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bark — to shout

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