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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: object · jam · pound · lash · tube · rash · hide · ruler

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pound — a weight
  4. tube — a container
  5. rash — a series
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tube — the underground
  8. object — an aim
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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