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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: lash · ruler · row · file · prune · game · stand · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. prune — to trim
  3. file — a document
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. row — a line
  9. file — a tool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. firm — decided
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. file — a line of people
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — steady
  21. row — to paddle
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. row — a quarrel

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