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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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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: wind · chip · can · lean · ruler · row · bark · lash

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. can — a tin
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. row — a line
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bark — to shout
  22. can — to be able to
  23. chip — for betting
  24. lash — to lash out

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