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

Word bank: bear · pit · lash · rock · row · stick · ruler · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rock — a stone
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. row — a line
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bear — the animal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. row — to paddle
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — an eyelash

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