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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. firm — decided
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. craft — boats
  8. firm — steady
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. firm — a company
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft

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