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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: lash · ruler · board · branch · can · rest · toast · tube

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. can — a tin
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. toast — bread
  8. branch — a division
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. board — a committee
  12. can — a tin
  13. rest — a break
  14. tube — the underground
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — a container
  17. board — to get on
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. branch — of a tree

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