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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 116 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: bay · bark · bound · ruler · clip · straw · lash · bore

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bound — certain
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. clip — to cut
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bore — to drill
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bound — tied together
  18. clip — a video
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bore — to tire

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