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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: bark · arm · pound · lean · rash · lash · shower · stand

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stand — to bear
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. shower — rain
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lean — thin
  22. rash — a series
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — to hit hard

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