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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: lean · nail · mark · rule · tube · cap · lash · row

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mark — a trace
  8. row — to paddle
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lean — to bend
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rule — government
  16. lean — thin
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cap — a hat
  20. row — a line
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. tube — a container

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