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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: bank · ruler · safe · pound · sharp · lash · file · lean

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. file — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — thin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pound — a weight
  19. sharp — clever
  20. file — a document
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bank — for money

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