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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: row · saw · trunk · cap · chip · board · lean · lash

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lean — thin
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. cap — a lid
  8. row — a line
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. board — to get on
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. chip — for betting
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. board — a committee
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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