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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: stick · stand · wound · lash · ruler · bound · lean · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. file — a tool
  2. bound — tied together
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. file — a document
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bound — certain
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wound — an injury
  21. file — a line of people
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lean — to rest against
  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